Blood Game
by midnightstar618
Summary: Kav is trying to make a new life as a companion, but now she owes the jester and Vilkas is getting under her skin. (this is just something I'm working on to get back into writing fan fiction so it's a go with the flow sort of story)
1. Chapter 1

**Ohh my gosh ya'll I just looked and realized the last story I published was in 2012, so I'm doing a real short one and hopefully I'll get back to it and start publishing again. Today has been crazy. Yesterday I left Reno for Dallas on my way to Memphis when we got there (me and my little brother) our flight got canceled because of the tropical storm Bill…let's just say it was crazy! Anyway, I'm up now trying to find out (I finally made it to my destination today) where I'm sleeping so I'm gonna type this out as fast as I can, plus I'm a lonely soul who desires romantic companionship (but doesn't like getting close to people …oops) It'll probably be a one shot.**

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It was supposed to be easy, just a quick thing, in and out, but it's never that simple is it? There's always a dragon, or Draugr, bandits more often than not. Kav wipes her brow and sits on a jagged boulder by the caves entrance, it's the last time she goes to Vilkas for jobs. "That stubborn milk drinker is probably sitting by the fire with a pint of ale…"

She takes careful care while cleaning her sword before replacing it in the holster at her hip. It's from her days working with the Blade's, back when she was recruiting for them. Though she lost the scabbard to a cave troll ages ago, she still carries it around and uses it with stunning precision. She grapples with the wild horse she borrowed from Aela who used it on rare occasion. "Stop…STOP!" The horse bucks, throwing her to the ground. She lays there for a while, watching the ribbons of color dance across the sky. Stars lay twinkling on the feet of the gods. She sits up, running a hand through her hair. The horse gallops away towards Whiterun. "Great! This day can't get any worse!"

"Technically it's not day."

Kav turns looking into the wide nostrils of a tawny mare. She looks up into the riders face and sees the ever 'gentle' Vilkas, "I thought you might need some help," he says with a level smirk.

"I don't need any help, I finished the job."

"The ride home then," he says with a roll of his eyes.

She considers saying no, but upon looking at the tiny blimp of light that is Whiterun she caves and hops up onto his horse and situates herself behind him. He chuckles softly before flicking the reins to start his horse forward.

She keeps her hands to herself, conscious of his heat against her front already. After a long and irritating silence she says, "I thought you don't like riding horses. I took all of the companions as people who would rather run for five days to Markarth then take a horse and reach it in one."

Vilkas snorts and clicks his tongue, "All companions have their horses, except you that is, and I pity the horse that has to ride with you if you run it for a full day non-stop."

Kav turns her head, "This coming from the guy that cries at the full moon."

"I do not!"

"You should run with me some time."

"You know I reject the transformation."

"But it feels so goood~" she moans. Her head darts forward and rams against his shoulder, "Ouch! What's that for?"

"I respect your choice to keep the beasts blood and utilize it, but I have no desire to. It is a curse, not a gift."

She closes her mouth and slides off the horse, "Fine, then we'll just agree that we are of opposing minds."

"Kav, get back on, it's too far to walk, you'll take days to reach the town."

"I'll be just fine dammit!"

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 **So it's shorter than anticipated because I'm getting tired, I'll continue writing on it tomorrow most likely and I'll post in short bursts so maybe one a day(?)**

 **Anyhow, you get the gist of why they don't like each other right?**

 **Comments are much appreciated because I love hearing from you guys**


	2. Chapter 2

**Second page goes up today! Again it may be short, it may not, I'm writing this as I go.**

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Kav sits at the table with the other newer initiates and watches the newest boy shove copious amounts of mead down his throat. No one else seemed to care but to Kav it's gross, he needs to learn some restraint. She gets up and wanders outside to sit on the steps leading up to the porch. Vilkas is talking with Aela in a low and sultry voice. Aela is laughing softly and pushing him away. Kav sits down, facing her back to them and allowing the wind to catch her hair and toss it around. She pulls her sword out for inspection and gently brings her fingers down its length. The last dragon she fought had grabbed the blade with its teeth to stop her attach and the damage shows. Eorlund Gray-Mane had warned her not to damage it any further, it couldn't be fixed again. She sets her blade over her lap, so this is it? All the years she carried it around while she did her duty in Skyrim and now…now she has to retire it, but where can she put it that's safe? She shared the room with all the other recruits and she didn't trust them at all.

She gets to her feet with a sigh, "I have to go for a while."

Both Aela and Vilkas turn, their eyes quizzical and curious. "Where to?" Aela asks.

"Sky-Haven temple, I have to retire my blade."

"Retire it?" Vilkas asks, his arms crossing over his chest.

"Yes, sometimes…sometimes a sword is too broken to fix. I can't trust the recruits here so I'm taking it somewhere that it can be left alone for centuries."

Vilkas unfolds his arms and steps towards her, "Why not just give it to Kodlak to keep safe?"

She hesitates, she wants to say 'because my sword is a worrier and deserves to be treated as such, it's an extension of me and does not deserve to be sequestered in a dusty cabinet or a glass case' but isn't that what she's about to do? Even if she brings it to the temple it would be treated the same, hung on the wall or put in a case, nothing of what it deserves. She puts it in its holster and closes her eyes, "No, I'm going to go looking for a great battle, a beast of a dragon, and I'm going to let my sword go out like it always deserved."

Vilkas exchanges a look with Aela and rubs his stubbled jaw, "Then we'll accompany you, if it's a massive battle you want then surely you can't handle it on your own, not without your trusty companion there."

Kav thinks about rejecting them, she partially did want to do this on her own but at the same time…backup could come in handy. She nods slowly, "Yeah…I could use some help…"

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They leave the next day, and head north towards the frosty peaks of the mountains on foot. By the time the sun sets they've already killed enough rabbits for dinner but haven't gotten far. Aela goes to sleep first, her red hair getting mixed into the dirt. Kav sits by the fire, tossing another branch in, "I don't understand why you wanted to come with me, Aela, yes, you…no. We don't see eye to eye."

Vilkas leans back on his palms, "You're my Shield Sister aren't you?"

"Well yes, but…but we're different."

He seems to study her, keeping his good eye on her lips, "There's a difference in our views yes, but we each have the same curse…or how you say, gift. We're both honor bound to our ways and that is as much a bond as anything else. You may appreciate what I despise but that doesn't mean we can't occasionally see eye to eye."

Kav looks out into the deserted landscape, nothing's moving tonight, their presence scaring the smarter beasts into their caves and burrows. "Do you fancy Aela?"

"Fancy her? No, why are you jealous?"

"Jealous?!" Kav says maybe too fast, "No, I'm not jealous, why should I be?"

Vilkas chuckles and lays on his back, "Do what you will

 **Another short one, this one being really short with hardly any content, but as I've said it's to help ease me back in.**

 **Remember how much I love comments because then I get to connect with you guys!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it's taken me so long, my family and I went up to Kentucky to go camping and I decided against bringing my laptop, hell I even let my phone die. Every once in a while it's nice to let go of technology and just have fun outside. I haven't been swimming in ages and I got to do that there along with cookouts and cramped sleeping, really was blissfull. But I'm back now and I'm going to try and make this one long but as I've said before, I write as I go and sometimes life just gets in the way. Right now I have the house to myself but we'll see…**

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The roar fades into the distance as Kav lays on the ground, panting with a broken blade and a body that's no better. The beast had bitten her arm as hard as it could, tearing into her flesh and breaking the bones. They had stumbled upon it by accident, a cave hidden by snow fall that had made the perfect shelter from the angry elements, or so they thought. They wandered deeper and deeper until they found the great dragon sleeping on a pile of treasure. It's the battle Kav had waited for and a battle she lost. The dragon had taken flight and lifted its massive body through the great opening at the cap of the cave.

Kav lifts her gaze up to the gray sky, and watches small drops of snow fall softly. A tree had fallen when the beast had lifted up and flown out, cast aside by the great gust of wind the beast's wings had thrown. In the chaos of the battle and of the dragon taking flight she had lost sight of her two companions and now, as silence fell over her ungraceful body she realizes there's no sound of anyone else in the cave, which could mean that they both perished, or that they escaped. Kav hopes for the latter after a branch frees itself from the fallen tree and crashes to the ground a foot away. She tries to move her torso, her legs, tries to lift herself up, but fails. Every inch of her being hurts, and craves something she never thought she'd crave…flesh. It has to be her werewolf side, coming through as her body deteriorates and her strength fades.

Vilkas once told her of a werewolf who had gone blood crazy and ate an entire Khajiit caravan, bones and all. The reason was that he had been trapped in an old mine shaft for three days with no food. When Kav was little her family had been poor, growing up in slums of the Imperial City. She knew hunger well and knew what it could make a person do, but she lasted longer than three days on bugs and small rodents which made her doubt what Vilkas said. Now though, as she thinks back to the story she feels the hunger as if she'd gone weeks without food. Her stomach is churning miserably and her muscles are fidgeting. She coughs roughly, the sound echoing in the cold silence of the cave. As her adrenaline calms she can feel the chill and the pain of her broken bones and torn flesh. It feels like hours, long and hard hours, before she hears something for the first time since she herself had coughed.

The figure approaches slowly and kneels down beside her. The first thing he does is check her pulse, then with a loud cackle he grabs her under her armpits and begins to drag her from the caves. She doesn't have the strength to scream as the pain rips through her. Her body is stretching and grinding against the dirt and it feels as if she's being grated with sharp rocks. The stranger then drops her next to one of the ancient embalming tables that are commonly found in Skyrim caves. He cleans off the surface with a filthy rag and sets his jesters hat down over the top of an urn where it jingles lightly. He picks her up and places her on the table with a small grunt, "This one weighs a lot~" he croons.

Kav watches him with half lidded eyes, she feels something like fear when she faces this man.

"Oh mother, Cicero found a live one!"

"What are you going to do to me, Clown?" she growls.

Cicero's eyes lower to her, his face taking on a grim realness, "Cicero does not kill unless…he is asked."

The jester leans over her and their noses brush. He smiles wildly and suddenly kicks back up and flings his hands outwards. He does a strange dance then starts rooting through a bag she hadn't noticed before. He puts three tall red bottles on the table by her head then pulls out some small green ones and a wad of bandages. He makes short work of it, easing her head up and slowly pouring the elixir's down her throat. He bandages the worst of her wounds then puts his hat back on his head and puts the pack on his back. "Cicero will take you somewhere nice, somewhere safe and warm, but that is where he will leave you." He picks her up tenderly, softer then he had before and carries her away. Outside the weather had calmed down and a horse is pawing the ground for food. Cicero tosses her over the saddle and begins to lead the horse away. She glances over the rump of the horse and then between his legs, there weren't any signs of Aela or Vilkas. "Did you…see anyone else?"

Cicero cackles but says nothing as he starts moving down the narrow path to the valley. Kav watches the rocks and dirt pass under her, and tries in vein to forget the pain of the saddle crushing against her broken ribs. At a certain point Cicero stops the horse by a stream and takes her down from the saddle. He sets her head against a mossy rock and pulls a scroll from his pack. He whispers a few words and a wagon with a large crate on the back appears from thin air. Kav feels the hunger again, it comes through like a freshly sharpened blade, stabbing at her insides. Cicero hitches the wagon to the horse and for the next few minute's works on moving the crate to the side.

"What are you?"

"Cicero is a Keeper, he watches over mother."

Kav had heard words like those before. The Imperial City Paper once ran a story on the destruction of the Dark Brotherhood. In the article it had said that there were artifacts that had not been accounted for.

"I am no contract of yours, Keeper, what's your purpose for helping me."

Cicero hums then stops abruptly, turns his head down then to the side while his body stays facing away, an evil look cast from his eyes. "Cicero is not a seer of the future. He cannot discern how his path will bend and bend it shall. He needs an ally for when it bends the wrong way. Cicero will need help in the future, that he knows for sure. He will need someone outside his brotherhood to help him find sanctuary again. Violence is inevitable and Cicero wishes to know that he has a place to mend. Cicero mended you, so you shall mend Cicero, when the time comes, that is."

Kav watches her curious companion, no longer feeling fear but instead something calm. In a way she can understand that he is like her, a predator hunting for a place to stay, to be left to live. "We both then, have no place left to us."

Cicero turns now, fully as he watches her still. "You have no place? No place in the game?"

"I do, but…I don't really fit. I am a monster by nature, a curse that is a gift and a gift that is a curse. My brothers, my companions and fellow warriors have decided to abandon our gift, all but one, and that one doesn't exactly sit well on me."

"Alone in a crowd of people, solitude at a party, yes Cicero knows this feeling well." The jester turns back to his horse and dismantles the saddle, tossing it into the back of the wagon with the crate, yet careful in his actions as to not disrupt the actual crate itself. "Cicero has been alone for a long time, a very very very long time. His mother does not SPEAK TO HIM!" he shouts the last bit in frustration. Kav moves timidly, her eyes burning with an anxious hunger.

"Cicero…are we…are we friends?"

The Jester freezes in mid motion as he pulled a strap tighter on the harness, "We are? Yes we are!"

"Then I should tell you, it's safer if you leave me here, I could kill you, I can feel my grip on reality leaving me along with my sanity."

Cicero cocks his head and walks towards her, she notices an ebony dagger strapped to his hip. When he reaches her he kneels down and puts both his hands between his knees, "What manner of beast speaks this way?"

Kav stares into his eyes, seeing the pure insanity there she sighs and tilts her head back, "A werewolf."

"Ooo, Cicero has seen many puppies, they do not scare him," he cackles.

"Cicero," she says evenly, "I'm hungry, I could murder you, rip you apart in a blood rage if I do not get meat in my system. I'm in no condition to hunt."

"Will eating help your health? Will you get better faster if Cicero gets you-"

"Yes-" she cuts him off with a grit of her teeth.

Cicero leans forward, their noses touching for the second time that day, "Then I'll find you something, surely there is some sort of wild life out here that you can eat."

He pulls the ebony dagger from his belt and presses it into her hand, "Just in case."

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Kav is sitting there for over an hour, watching the sun shift through the clouds and eventually set over the valley. She never once entertains the thought that Cicero has fallen to a wild beast, the man might be small but he is perfectly capable, that she is sure of. As the sun sends a stream of pinkey orange over the horizon and the crown of the sky goes dark with nightfall, Cicero returns, dragging behind him a massive bear, "Can you eat this?" he asks in a wheezy voice.

Kav pushes away from her seat and crawls towards the bear. She passes Cicero's dagger back to him. While he was gone she had cracked open the dagger to see what the blade looked like, it's sharper than a slaughterfish's tooth and seemed to be almost ceremonial. He takes it tenderly and reattaches it to his belt as she searches the bear over for the wounds he delivered. When she finds them she's taken aback and spends a few minutes simply admiring them. "You're damn good with a dagger, your precision is…incredible."

Cicero says nothing but makes a fire for light then returns to watching her. She uses her bare hands to rip open the tiny and almost invisible punctures in the bear's pelt. It's been a long time since she used her fingers to dig out meat. It's very different, to feel the flesh start to mush under strong fingers, and to feel someone's eyes on her, watching her devour raw flesh.

With her stomach satiated for the moment she looks to Cicero, "Why were you in that cave if you do not mind my asking."

"Cicero minds none, he was simply curious and hungry for violence."

Kav smiles as she shifts back into her seat against the rock, "I remember being young and hungry for action, seeking fights in the worst parts of town. Though…it never paid out like I thought it would."

"What were you doing in that cave?"

"My blade has been through many battles with me and has been repaired more times than I can count. After a while it was too tired to carry on, to broken to be fixed. I went looking for a battle of which it could be broken in an honorable way. I bit off more than I could chew apparently."

"You were asking about companions, were they there?"

"My shield siblings? They were, but I lost track of them. I fear that something has gone wrong with them yet I hope they ran for their lives."

"Even if it means they betrayed you to save their own hides."

"There is no betrayal in that!" She snaps. Cicero doesn't seem to mind as he sits beside her, "We are," she continues, "beasts of instinct. If they felt they were in danger then it is a strong urge to run, to flee. We are strong, the Companions, but we are also mortal. We have things to fear, things to hide from, reasons to run."

Cicero searches her face with a blank stare, "Cicero would not have left you to die."

Kav laghs gently, "No, you have proven that, and I am grateful. You have done much for me in the short time you have known me and I owe you more than I can easily repay."

"Just help Cicero when the time comes, that is all he asks."

Kav smiles weakly, exhaustion creeping over her, "I will, I owe you my life."

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 **Not as long as I was hoping but longer than the others. I'm thinking, if enough of you comment I will leave the final pairing up to you. Originally when I first started writing the stranger walking in scene I had planned to do Brynjolf but it just happened to be Cicero who came out of the shadows.**

 **So comment to let me know who you think she should fall for and your overall thoughts, I love hearing from you guys.**


	4. Chapter 4

When she wakes up Cicero is gone but there is a meager steal dagger in her hand and a pack of food and health elixirs. She smooths her hands over her wounds, searching for some that still hurt, but there were none. "An assassin that knows how to heal someone, how versatile."

She wants to get up and move around immediately but instead she lays there, watching storm clouds roll in. Her first task should be to find out where Aela and Vilkas went, but she'd need something more than a small dagger if she has to go back into that cave. She calculates the chances, there's the possibility they're still there, that they escaped, and that they got eaten while she was distracted. Dawnstar is the closest town but the thought of going back into frigid territory made her physically ill. Morthal is a little out of the way but its warm swampy climate seems like a dream. She gets up and puts the gift pack on her shoulders and takes one step towards Morthal before she freezes. Vilkas and Aela could be in trouble and she's thinking about her personal comfort. She groans and kneels by the stream to wash her face. Without giving herself time to think she heads for Dawnstar.

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Dawnstar is this frozen and diminished town without any major attraction. It serves as a north point for people to dock their ships but there is only ever one ship docked at a time because few can make it through the mine field like ice plates. Every captain knows that an ice plate can cut a ship open like a knife scrib jelly. Kav trots down the road and stops by the inn. Her stomach is growling angrily and she's in a rush to satisfy it. She buys a vegetable stew and sits at a table near the darkest corner. She finishes her food and hands the bowl back to the bartender. "Have you seen two companions come through here? One's a red head with three claws painted on her face and the other is a handsome-er…A…he's a man with um…dark hair and uh-"

The bartender gives her a mildly aggravated look before saying, "Yes they came through here late last night, sporting some pretty horrendous wounds as I remember."

"Are they still here?" Kav says, unable to suppress her relief.

"No they said something about needing to go back to a cave and left early this morning."

Kav scowls and runs from the inn cursing the whole way. She has half a days journey and the sun is already setting. How long would the others look? That is if they even survived the journey down, the dragon that covets that land is massive and strong, stronger than any of the ones that she defeated besides Alduin, but that's a story she wants to forget. She races over as many short cuts she thinks she can manage and reaches the cave before midnight. There's a campfire just inside the opening of the cave it's been half-heartedly put out which leaves her, yet again, without knowing where her companions have gone. If she uses her wolf form she can find them by scent but she'd be left drained of energy and blood hungry yet again. She ruffles her hair in agitation and diminishing patience before quickly letting her wolf form take over, melting her body and rebuilding it as a furry beast worthy of being in the nightmares of many men. She sniffs the air, singling out Vilkas' scent, grazing it over her tongue and following it deeper into the cave. She feels the growling howl start inside her and lets it scream out of her like a blissful release. She pauses, sniffing the air and listing with pricked ears. Deep down inside the cave, deeper than they had gone yesterday, the howl is repeated in a lower tone. She'd been around all of her companions while they are in wolf form, she knows their sound and this one was Vilkas and he's distressed enough to be in wolf form. She tears off towards the sound ripping through vine curtains and barreling through rock falls. 'Vilkas-I'm coming!'

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Through the twists and turns she keeps her nose alert until- A black Werewolf is battling against an army of undead soldiers while a red head is slumped over against the curve of the cave. She jumps in, ripping the skeletal soldiers apart and tossing them off to the side. She had energy and is in better condition than her shield brother who is, at best, flailing, by this point. With her there the enemy falls fast, cascading over the ground and scattering with tiny clonks. Vilkas falls out of his form and collapses on the ground, his hair hanging in sweat dripping strands and his chest rising and falling. She sniffs around for a bit, searching to see if any enemies remain before shifting out of her form and standing a bit away from the other two, embarrassed by her nakedness. Vilkas has moved down to kneel beside Aela, searching over her body to make sure she's ok.

She can feel it coming like a rumbling storm, he's angry, livid. She sits down, not yet ready to face the upcoming yelling match. Before he even points his anger towards her she starts feeling as if he has already. First she feels dejected, his disappointment is unsettling to her, then she feels angry because she didn't ask them to come along, then even madder because she heard his desperation in his howl, but now that he sits beside Aela he's mad at her. Dejected and angry without cause she starts to pout. Aela shifts, stirring from unconsciousness and sitting up, gripping her head with a grimy hand. Vilkas is putting his armor on, how he managed to ditch it before the enemies swarmed over him is a technique she wished she could learn. Aela gets up shakily but for the most part she looks ok. Kav gets to her feet and looks over them, "You shouldn't have come back in that condition."

Vilkas turns, his eyes hooded and narrow, "Where have you been?"

"I was halfway to Morthal."

"You left us behind?" Aela asks, balking at Kav like she's committed some horrendous crime.

"No you left me! I was broken-my ribs arms and one of my legs were crushed to almost dust! I was rescued by a curious fellow, he took me out of here and gave me potions and bandaged me! Hell he even fed me to keep blood rage away! Then I went to Dawnstar to get a weapon so I could hunt for you…guys… yet you attack me? Maybe I should have left you here to rot after you got killed by skeletons, who by the way, die after one hit! I didn't ask for you to come with me!"

Vilkas seems taken aback, his eyes roaming over her, "Kav…Kav we're not mad at you, we were just so worried. When the Dragon attacked we were almost blocked off from you after a while we thought we could reroute and find a new way in, but it came after us and all we could do was try and find a place to hide. All we could do was run and we ended up close to Dawnstar. We figured it would be better to rest and come back but in the morning we ran as hard as we could to reach the cave again."

Kav rubs her arms as the chilly outside air drifts in from the large room where they fought the dragon. Vilkas seems to, just at that moment, realize she's naked. He blushes as he pulls his chest plate off then his shirt, and hands the shirt to her. She thanks him in a soft voice before pulling the shirt over her head where it stops just at her mid-thigh, "Can we go now? My blade is obliterated and I am utterly exhausted and…nude."

Vilkas looks away, his face almost scarelet, and ruffles his hair, "Yes, let's get out of this rats nest."

Aela approaches, "I wish we had brought horses."

"The dragon would have eaten it," Kav says thoughtlessly.

"Why? They are mindless beasts aren't they? Why would they purposely sabotage us?"

Kav stops short and turns, an eyebrow raised, "Aren't you supposed to be the expert on wild beasts? Dragons are anything but mindless. They communicate, evolve, and strategize. Some have even learned English, I've spoken to a few."

"You've spoken to a few?" Vilkas asks, his lips quirked oddly.

Kav pauses, "Oh…yeah…I'd rather not talk about it." She turns away and rubs her arms again.

Vilkas exchanges looks with Aela but doesn't press the issue.

To Kav her time as a Dragonborn felt as a painful memory usually does, it made her anxious and sick. She had been well known with a mask of a helmet but unrecognizable without it. Kav had been strong and powerful, a vision to the Nords and a key part in the civil war. She had slowly become a merciless monster who saw no potential in any dragon and had killed even the gentlest of dragons, Paarthurnax. She wishes to forget all about her fight against 'evil' and her battle with Alduin which took place in the afterlife. To those who live in Skyrim the Dragonborn had simply disappeared and after a few weeks of perplexed silence she had faded from their memories.

Kav wanders behind them, watching their interactions. Every time their hands almost brush, the way they turn to look at each other, is there something there?

Vilkas turns to look back at her, his lips turning up slightly, "Are you sure you're ok? You've very quiet."

Kav is shaken from her relationship interpreting and gives a slight nod. She comes up with a reasonable reason as to why she's quiet, "The man who rescued me…really was a strange character, he was dressed as a jester, talked like an assassin, but acted like…well like a caretaker."

Vilkas lifts an eyebrow, "He does sound rather strange, are you sure he wasn't a vision to mask your own strength?"

"Are you asking if I hallucinated him? Because I can assure you I did no such thing," she says with a pout.

Vilkas laughs softly and rotates his shoulders, "Fine fine, if you insist he's real, I trust your judgement."

"He is, and you'll meet him one day."

"Oh will we?" Aela snorts, a little miffed that Kav had corrected her on her knowledge of dragons.

"I owe him for saving my life and caring for me while I was ill. Besides, he's hard to miss."

"Right because he's a bubbly jester with a knife ready to slit your throat." Aela kicks a stone, her attitude worsening by the minute.

Kav scowls at her back, "Let's just get home so I can start apologizing to Kodlak immediately."

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 **Alright guys, so there you have it, the fourth chapter! I'll have to pause here until you guys answer my whole who she should go with question. Ya have to let me know, so comment the shit out of it, the first five unanimous votes wins, hell you can throw some random person in there if you want, (no crossovers please)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright I know who she's going with oh my gods you guys were pretty unanimous from the get go! Keep the comment love coming! I love the fact that you guys can tell me your opinions!**

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Kav reaches Whiterun in a puff of dust. It's a dry week and the Skyrim landscape is brittle and golden. It's been two weeks since she went on her failed adventure with Vilkas and Aela. She had recovered the shards of her sword from the dragon's den and gave them to Eorlund to use as spare metal in the sword she paid him to make. He was ecstatic to use such ancient metal to create a sword and thus decided the finished product would be an elaborate work of art. The guards drag the door closed after she walks in with a grumble about the sucky quarantine no longer being necessary now that the civil war is over. The citizens of Whiterun are lazing about for the day, the meager market area is empty with just the vendors standing behind their splintery stalls whilst fanning themselves. The blacksmiths forge is closed for the day, its coals burning down to low embers while the door to the inner shop is propped open and the two people inside are sitting in chairs.

As Kav walks towards the stair's leading to the Cloud district she notices the children sitting by the waterway, little sticks in hand. They're poking at the wet stones with shared expressions filled with boredom. "Hey kids, hot day today isn't it?"

"Yeah…" one of the girls drones, "and mama won't let us stay inside."

"Why not?" Kav questions, putting her hands on her hips.

The child shrugs while another one says, "We were gonna play in the water…mama says not to but…it's sooo hot, and the water is too," his voice is dejected as if all his hopes and dreams relied on being able to play in the water.

Kav squints and looks around, "You guys should find some shade, keep yourselves cool."

"You should take off your armor," one of the girls supplies with an air of support, "Da says if it gets too hot inside armor you could die."

"That's…cheery, I'll keep that in mind, thank you." Kav turns away and starts up the stairs.

Jorrvaskr is just as hot and muggy as the outside. Those who hadn't locked themselves away in their rooms (the circle and Kodlak) were wearing only as much clothes as is required to be considered socially acceptable. Kav nods to them and heads down the stairs to the bunking area, maybe it's her dragon souls but she doesn't feel the heat the same way the others do. She knows it's present but at the same time, she's not sweating and feels perfectly comfortable in her iron armor. She slumps down into a random bed and stares upwards at the wood planked ceiling, watching shadows flicker in from the floor above. The atmosphere is so docile that Kav begins to feel tired, her eyelids growing heavy and before she knows it she's opening them to the sounds of people snoring. She struggles to sit up with her armor restricting her movement (she hates sleeping in it) but eventually gets to her feet. She walks out of the room, not caring that she doesn't do so quietly, the Companions are a heavy sleepers, the whole lot, and the heat of the day would make it hard for them to wake.

Kav goes up to the banquet area and sits down at one of the chairs, watching the meager fire flicker with only enough strength to cook food. With missions coming in desperately from all over Skyrim the fire has to be kept going so a Companion can wake at any moment, eat, and leave for their mission. Kav is grateful for it now since the night air is laced with a chill. The doors are closed but the windows are opened enough to let a light breeze in.

"You're up late," Comes a low voice from behind her.

Kav lowers her gaze, fingers writing circles into the table, "I didn't mean to fall asleep as early as I did, I'm merely waking up."

The person walks up behind her and puts his hands down on her shoulders, "Was your last mission a success?"

"Aren't they always?" Kav says calmly, his hands are warm on her shoulders, something that's lulling her back to a slurry feeling.

"Then I owe you coin."

"Mmph."

Vilkas sits next to her, grabbing a bottle of mead and pulling it closer to him. She sneaks a glance at him and notices his _'bare chest and…abs…and…wow.'_ He seems to notice her staring, though he doesn't notice where since he says, "You ok?"

"Um yeah, I can't really focus…"

"You should go back to sleep." Vilkas takes a sip from his mead.

"I um…why are you awake even?" Kav asks.

"I have a mission in Markarth."

Kav watches him, a peculiar feeling starting to wash through her system, "Do you want company?"

"If I did I'd ask Aela, you've been gone for three days already, you need rest."

Kav looks away from him and stares back towards the fire, "I don't like being in one place too long, I don't like resting, gives me too much time to think."

Vilkas chuckles, "What haunts you?"

Kav runs her tongue over her teeth and shake her head, "I'd rather not talk about it, it's all in the past, I'd rather it stay that way."

Vilkas studies her, his eyes going over her facial features then go down to her neck, shoulders…breasts, "If you really want to, then yes, I could use some company, it'll make the job easier."

Kav smiles serenely, "Ok."

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 **I'm leaving this one short because I need a place to stop and you guys need a new chapter. I'll start working on the next one immediately but it may not come out for a day or so because of vacation…thing…stuff…I'm doing vacation stuff…I promise…sort of**

 **Ps. I just found a butt ton of old fanfictions I was working on and some of them aren't bad, so I'll let you guys vote (along with letting me know how you like this chapter) on which one you want. I have one with a bunch of oc type characters who kind of play their own roles like a separate one for listener and harbinger and they all have to get in touch with the dragonborn who's a strange main character.**

 **Then there's one with another vilkas attraction with the db and two siblings living together with completely different personalities. (if that makes sense)**

 **And of course ther'es always the brynjolf ones, the one that isn't massive and still needs a lot of work (like seven chapters to it already you guys and the story has barely started) is about the main character who either a(leaves the thieves guild and gets married only to later come back and have an affair with brynjolf (what the hell is wrong with me?)) or**

 **b(has to struggle with her new role as the leader of the thieves guild and the fact that no one really sees her as a leader) or**

 **c(struggles to see the reason in hiring the dark brother hood to kill a person, to which brynjolf tries to seduce her and keep her mouth shut)**

 **Hell if you guys want, shoot me some ideas, I feel like writing a shit ton of fanfictions for skyrim (even though I currently don't have access to the game and have to constantly spell check things)**


	6. Chapter 5 pt5

**So I just posted the last chapter, yes I know….and for those of you that didn't read the end A/N I have some stories and I left it to a vote on which one I'll start working on next, most of them have at least one chapters worth of the story.**

 **But anyway, here we go.**

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Cold, dry, and hard land under her back and cloudy submissive sky above her head. She looks ahead with a dull expression. The mission in Markarth was hardly anything at all, in fact she had stayed at the inn talking with the drunk while he completed it. On their way back to Whiterun they stopped and made camp beside one of the mountainous roads leading from Markarth. Kav turns over, her eyes catching sight of Vilkas skinning a hare to roast. "You know, you and Aela flirt a lot," she says with perhaps too much casualness.

Vilkas smiles slowly and tosses rabbit fur to his side, "Still thinking about that are you?"

"Well," She says, sitting up and watching him, "I need to know who I can trust in what situations."

"Oh? And how would my relationship with Aela effect your trust in varying situations?"

Vilkas is pretty smart, hell he's really smart, and my attempt to get his feelings for Aela out in the open is under duress. "Well…if you and I were standing on a bridge and I get knocked over and I'm hanging from it and Aela is getting swamped by Draugr, if you were, let's say, in love with her, wouldn't you leave me hanging and go to help her?"

Vilkas shoves his knife into the ground and sighs, "Are you saying you couldn't hang on for five minutes while I help her?"

"Are you saying you didn't think it through? Come on Vilkas, it would be much more efficient not to mention smart, to help me up then use my strength to save Aela."

"Aela wouldn't need help," Vilkas says tersely.

"Um…last time you were with her in a fight she was unconscious and you were fighting a losing battle in a form you despise."

Vilkas goes still, his eyes focused on the fire, "I suppose that would be smarter."

Kav looks down, her pale fingers spread over the dark ground, suddenly clench. She felt almost betrayed, that he wouldn't see her answer as the smarter option. The silence that spreads between them is awkward, as if she'd brought something up that put an end to his sarcasm and quirked eyebrows.

"I've known Aela for a long time," he says finally, "so perhaps I have developed feelings for her, which I never thought about."

Kav smiles bitterly at the fire, "See, all you have to do is admit it," she says with false happiness. She lays down, turning her back to him. She can feel him staring at her before he moves. She feels a heavy hand on her hip, "Now I know you're jealous,"

Kav forces a smile she hopes is genuine, "How would you know that?"

"Because when faced with the false possibility that I have a romantic inclination towards Aela, you look miserable."

"False?"

"I would pull you up first, if we're standing next to each other it would be a smart investment of Aela's time. The problem would arise after I pull you back onto the bridge because I'd be so worried I'd forget she was even there."

Kav's whole body tenses as Vilkas' hand comes into view. She can feel his breath on her neck, his hair on her cheek, and his whole body coming closer. Kav doesn't know what to do, but her body does. She rolls onto her back and wraps her arms around his neck. His lips are hot from the fire, as are his hands. Kav had never felt something so passionate before, it almost felt like a heartbreak in physical form. He makes a noise like a growl, animalistic and desperate. Kav turns her face away but he doesn't stop, instead he kisses her neck until he realizes she's stopped reacting. He brings his head back up and looks her in the eye, "What's wrong?"

"I just….I have a lot of secrets, some of which I don't know how you'll…react."

"So tell me, the worst that can happen is I'll see you differently, but I have such strong feelings for you that…but you don't want to."

"It's not that, I do but…I'm not ready." She covers her face with her hands.

He sighs softly and runs a hand over hers, "You'll decide when the time is right, but until then…do I really have to hold back?"

"You're more than just my mentor, your opinion matters to me, I don't want you getting in deep with me and realizing you don't know me at all."

"Is it that big of a deal, this secret of yours?"

Kav sits up, forcing Vilkas back, "Before I decided to join the companions…I…I destroyed some lives and killed something precious."

He lifts an eyebrow, "That bad huh…? Well don't expect me to stop courting you, I'll ensure that you can't bear the thought of not telling me when you decide you're ready."

Kav smiles weakly, "Is that so?"

Vilkas nods, "Yes…it is so, wanna sleep close for warmth?" he suggests with a small smirk.

Kav turns her face into his chest, "Of course."

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 **Short fluff piece finished SURPRISE! Remember to leave your opinion on the next story, this one has maybe one or two chapters left before it's done.**


	7. Chapter 6

**You guys are amazing, I love you all sooo much, thanks for the comment love! You don't even understand how encouraging it is for a writer to open emails and find reviews. To me it means you guys are reading and like it enough to tell me your thoughts! For a while I thought I was done for when it came to fanfiction but now I feel ready to write again! Again thank you guys so very much!**

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Kav's life in Skyrim was just over a year and a half long. Even with such a short time she had so much history in the land. After getting captured and almost killed she laid low until she was forced to acknowledge her destiny. It took a year to sort out Alduin and the battling nation, during this year she wore her hair short, braided around her head with a full on Nordic helmet which hid her face. She was cold, murderous, enjoyed the thrill of the kill and lived for the chase. Her objective every day was to find violence, to destroy lives, she wanted blood and frothed at the mouth for it. When she ejected herself from that life, erasing her positon by Ulfric's side, she fell in with a bad crowd. Well they weren't really that bad, but they stole things for a living. She made friends who taught her how to live without the kill and before she knew it she craved atonement for the brutal and barbaric way she had lived before, as well as the thieving and manipulative way she adapted herself into.

Riften is a fishing town…she knows that, and so does Farkas, but they both know that the seedy underbelly of the town is filled with thieves and murderers who battle for the contracts that sat in the gray area. Farkas pauses by a booth with a familiar thief inside, dressed rather nicely too.

"Kav are these real?" he asks. He's staring at the bottles on the wooden bar. Brynjolf's eyes ghost over her, his lips closing tightly and reveal nothing. When she had left the guild, turning down the leadership position, she had begged him along with the others not to tell anyone about her time in the guild.

"No Farkas, they aren't." She picks up a bottle and uncaps it, sniffing the concoction inside. She lifts a brow and looks at Brynjolf, who's smiling lopsidedly. "It's just ale mixed with berries."

Farkas looks at Brynjolf, "You lie?"

Kav can't help herself, she laughs and pats Farkas on the shoulder, "Oh Farkas, we're in Riften, everyone lies. Just…" she turns him away and winks over her shoulder at Brynjolf, "don't buy anything."

A little while later they're both at the Bee and the Bard, while Farkas slept upstairs, Kav sits at the bar. The people of Riften enjoy their drink, probably helps to forget the staunchly awful lives they live. There's mead and ale spilled over the tables and floor, and the air wreaks of vomit and pig breath. Kav slides her beer out of the way while a man jumps onto the bar and dances. "Never thought I'd see you again Lass." Comes a soft voice from behind.

Kav turns and grins, "Brynjolf, how have you been old friend?"

"Well the guild has been better but also worse-"

"I asked about you."

"Oh, well, I've been fine, but it's been quiet and lonely without you around."

Kav chuckles as she takes a sip of her beer, "Well, my life has changed a lot without you lot around too. I joined the Companions."

"Ah, I thought the lad from earlier looked familiar, he's one of them isn't he?"

"Yes, Farkas. He's strong for sure, strong and heavy fisted."

"I thought you were trying to escape the life of brutality," Brynjolf says as he signals for a bottle of mead.

"It's different, I guess I can never really escape violence, but in the Companions it's me vs. beasts and men without honor. I'm not blindly following orders and acting out my aggression on some poor bystander."

Brynjolf is quiet for a while then downs half his mead in one go, "What are you doing here Lass?"

Kav shifts and glances around, "Officially?"

He nods.

"I'm taking care of some bandits in the area."

"And off the record?" he murmurs.

Again she looks around, her eyes scanning the room for Farkas or any loud mouth that might sell her out, "I'm looking for a relic. Nothing big, but I know someone has it in their possession. I'm not usually for stealing these days but…it's important that I find it."

"What is it exactly?" Brynjolf asks, his eyes narrowing on her.

"A long time ago, when I first defeated Alduin I dropped something…his bones. I want them but they've been taken, here in fact."

"You're looking for dragon bones Lass? You've left them scattered all over the country, it's not a hard thing to come by anymore."

"These were different. They're so ancient and strong that they feel different."

"Why do you want them?"

"Things are getting…hectic for the Companions and I want to use Alduin's bones to make armor."

"Armor? Are you certified to be a blacksmith?"

"I'm…yes!" she says indignantly, "that's what I did before I came to Skyrim."

"Ah yes, I'd forgotten your family was well known for it."

Kav sniffs and licks her lips, "In any case, I need those bones, have you heard anything?"

Brynjolf rubs his chin and sighs, "Are you willing to pay?"

"No but I'm willing to owe a favor."

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"Do you think that was too easy?" Farkas asks, his fingers working over a cinch in his armor.

"Farkas, with you, everything physical is easy."

"Why is our pack so heavy?" He groans, rolling over her words like week old horse tracks on the road.

"Uhm…well, I picked something up."

"But you said not to buy anything."

"I didn't…uhm…Farkas listen," She sighs, rubbing her nose, "I had to use a devious path to get these, they were mine to begin with."

"Yours to begin…with?"

"Yes, Farkas, mine…just, don't look in the bag ok?"

"I won't if you carry it."

"Of course I'll carry it! Now let's go before the sun sets, we need to hurry along to make decent time."

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"They fixed the last of the damage done to the town," Vilkas says as he watches children run around the Gildergreen tree that sat in the middle of Whiterun.

Kav continues to rub a coarse rag over the long edge of a blade to both polish and work the edge. Vilkas had come out at midday to 'keep her company' though all he'd really done is make idle conversation and attempt to force away the awkwardness that hung between them. Kav lifts the blade to stare down the edge towards the point. She rarely used her old skills to work the forge but Eorlund was away on business and the Companions still need their blades to be sharp and ready. Vilkas sighs and leans back on the palm of his hand from where he sat on the stairs two down from me. "You know, you've been distant lately, is it because we-"

"Aren't you scared? The silver hand grow more bold every day and-"

"We'll deal with them when the time comes, Kodlak isn't sure they're as serious a threat as Aela and Skjor thinks."

Kav tilts her head and leans forward, putting her chin on his shoulder, "I think you're underestimating them, my skin prickles when I think about them."

Vilkas shifts and turn his face towards her, his cheek brushes hers and Kav can feel the heat emanating from it, "They're after us, you should feel uncomfortable about them, but they've always been unorganized."

Kav sighs and slides the sword into it's sheath, "Vilkas….I wanna head north."

"What?!" he shouts, turning fast to face her.

"Not permanently, but this heat is killing me, when Eorlund gets back…I want to go north…wanna come with me?"

Vilkas scrapes fingers through his hair, "I…I don't know…"

"We can do jobs as we find them, there's always bandits to rid the world of and…and…" her voice fades away as she notices his hesitation is more for not wanting to tell her full out no, so instead of continuing she sighs, "Never mind."

He puts a solid hand on her knee, "Listen, if you want…when Eorlund comes back…I can get a round of missions up north from the others…and we can do them together."

"How long do you think we can go that way for?"

"A month at least."

Kav moves to sit next to him and puts her hand over his. She could feel her heart speeding up. "When I was younger I never thought I'd feel like this for a man."

"What do you mean?"

"I was betrothed to a man on the day I was born, this stuck up Breton named Phillis. I resigned myself to never falling for anyone, being sequestered in a dead relationship that was never meant to be."

Vilkas turns and put his arm around her shoulders, "Kav…I love you."

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 **Woo, he said the thing!**

 **Keep the comments coming**


	8. Chapter 7

**It's taken me a while to start writing this because I was doing a digital picture (oh gods I almost died) then I started getting the next fanfiction I'm doing together, and soon this will be complete, there's only one or two left of this one before it ends, if you remember (for those of you who have been along this whole time) he said he loved her last time**

 **Don't give me flack for the weather, it's like this in reno, it'll snow and be cold then it's ninety degrees and flip flop for a while, I honestly don't remember if I said it was in the middle of summer or not and if I did I apologize because as I've said before, I'm writing this as I go so it's not going to be the best, hopefully it won't be the worst either though yikes**

 **Ps. Her cart is like a red wagon that she can pull behind her. Only it's wood…obviously**

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Love, it's not a word she's used to hearing. All her life she was raised by nords to be cold and unfeeling, a reluctant engagement, a hardened blacksmith, a hero…but never a lover. Kav isn't sure how she's supposed to cope; how does she act out a part she's never rehearsed? She knows that if she admits to Vilkas that she loves him too then it'll be the end of her secrecy, surely he'd expect her to give him some information about who she used to be.

She throws the axe again, chopping the wood hunk into two. It's been a few weeks since Vilkas confessed and here she is, preparing for winter. The only thing colder than the frost touched air is the atmosphere between her and Vilkas. She stops and looks out at the landscape. The clouds had rolled in early that morning and made the sky look angry, and the trees are swaying with the winds, tossed from side to side and waiting for the downpour they so desperately need. Kav stows the axe and climes up the hill towards Whiterun with her cart of wood.

"What do you think," the guard says once she gets close enough, "storm coming?"

"Of course, those are some angry clouds, nothing we haven't seen before though, right?"

The guard chuckles and pulls the door open. Kav stops by the food stall and hands the woman behind it some wood, "Keep that kid of yours warm tonight, it looks like it'll be a doozey."

She does her rounds, handing wood to those too busy to chop it for themselves and then heads back home to Jorrvaskr. She sits by Aela and shares the red heads potato chunks. Aela looks at her with a puff, "Vilkas is over there making stew, why don't you bug him?"

Kav pouts and leans against Aela, looking up to her with wide eyes, "Because your food tastes so much better sister~"

Aela deadpans and scoots her potatoes towards Kav.

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It's only two hours later when the wind picks up and the sky breaks open to unleash a wet fury upon them. It's an hour after that when the doors to Jorrvaskr are thrown open and a Courier is thrown to the ground by the wind. Farkas jumps to his feet and rushes to force the doors close. The Courier kisses the dirty ground gratefully then climbs to his feet, "Uhm, nice weather…is there a Kav here?"

She gets to her feet, her eyes focusing on him, "That would be I."

He rifles through his pocket until he finds the letter he has for her and holds it out, "Tis a big soggy, I apologize for that."

She takes it from him and shakes the droplets of water off with a disgusted frown, "That's ok…nothing like wet parchment." She gingerly opens it and reads the scratchy hand writing,

 _Cicero is in trouble, he found the imposter and cut her lizard. Now they're angry and the dog is chasing him through the woods. Cicero is in need of help, he will be hiding in the Dawnstar sanctuary behind the town by the sea, speak 'innocence my brother'_

I put the note on the table and walk fast down to my storage container and lift the lid. I shove some health poultices into my pack and strap my new blade to my hip. I go back upstairs and pull on my gloves, "Kodlak do you still have that silver dagger?"

"Why, yes I do actually, why?"

"I need to borrow it, if it's ok with you?"

"Of course."

She goes to the back room and pulls it from under the bed. She slides it against her thigh. The metal can sense her skin below the coarse leather and radiates irritatedly.

"Where are you going in such a rush?" Vilkas asks, his voice worried.

"The Jester that saved my life is in need of assistance, I owe him a lot."

"Can't you wait until the storm blows over?" Vilkas stands up and walks towards her, "You'll get blown all over the road in conditions like this.

"Actually…I need to borrow someone's horse."

"A horse? By the Gods Kav, what's going on? First the dagger and now the horse-"

"I don't have time to explain to you, he's in danger!"

Aela stands, "You can take my horse."

"You'll need help," Vilkas says with a tinge of anger.

"No I won't."

"How do you intend to-"

"Because Vilkas I won't need help!"

"Kav!"

"I don't want you to see me like that!" she screams, turning around to face him.

"Like…like what…Kav?" Vilkas takes a step back, his lips turning down.

Everyone is staring at her now, their attention focused like a fine point.

"A monster…I don't have time to explain to you, we'll talk when I get back but I have to go now."

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 **Super short I know, but I'm going straight into working on the next chapter, I just didn't want to leave you guys hanging, look at it this way, the next chapter will be super long hopefully!**

 **Leave some love**


	9. Chapter 8

**It's getting close to the end now woo woo! (I hope you guys are excited about the newest sets of fanfiction I'll be writing as I am!)**

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Savar rips away as Kav tries to grab her, her white Mane is sticking to her back and the braids are being loosened by the ripping wind. "Come on! Please Savar!"

The horse snorts in her direction, twitching off the rain. "Okay Savar, I'm going to jump on your back and we're going to ride right out of this storm, then I'll feed you fresh hay and grass, delicious right?"

Savar twitches then nods her heavy head. Kav sighs and swings around on top of her, "Okay, we'll run hard until the rain stops, then I'll build a fire and we'll warm up before heading out again. Hyah!"

Savar roars out of the stable and out onto the road. Kav pulls her reigns into the direction of Dawnstar, "We'll cut through the wilderness!"

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Dawnstar is still sleeping when she arrives, just as cold and desolate as it was earlier in the year. She hops off Savar by the secret door and tells her to find a nice safe place to hide. She stands in front of the door, there isn't any trace that the Jester had been there. Unsure of what to do and knowing the Brotherhood wouldn't allow her to escape if she walked in on nefarious dealings, she waits. After a few moments she touches the stone door and traces her fingers over the skull.

" _What is life's greatest illusion?"_

The sudden intrusive voice whispers through her head with a softness she'd never heard. She jerks back, her hand flinging itself from the door. This dark magic is what the Brotherhood plays with, this is their security, their guard dog. She cups her hand in the other, as if the door had somehow burned her. It's waiting for an answer, she can feel it. "In…innocence my brother."

" _Welcome home."_

Kav shivers but suppresses her sudden flux of fear and reaches her hand back out to shove against the door. It opens with a sudden outward thrust of stale air. Kav was just about to step forward when she hears rapid footsteps approaching. Cicero trips and goes sprawling over the snow, his squeal of fear tears through the air as the beast jumps at him. Kav turns, running forward and pulling out the silver dagger at her thigh. She shouts, grabbing the beasts attention and waves it at him. Cicero crawls towards her, clutching at a nasty scratch on his side. "Get inside and close the door!" she shouts at him.

Cicero nods with great effort and continues to crawl forward.

Kav steps to block the beast from him, "So the Brotherhood has a wolf eh? Well…so does he!" With a snarl Kav shifts from human woman to howling wolf, her armor falling, broken from her taunt muscles, like sheets of glimmering metal. The opposing wolf snarls and swipes out at her.

Kav rears back and lunges forward in a snap of a moment. Her jaws open wide, cracked back and ready to tear into flesh. She tastes fur and dirt and metallic blood as it gushes over her gums. If she shredded this wolf and devours his corpse would she go mad like a cannibal? Is it cannibalism if they're both wolves? The opposing wolf turns his great head and fits his teeth to her arm with a growl. She yelps and lets go which is a mistake because then he's on her, barraging her with claw attacks. ' _No, you will not have a victory over me!'_

She shoves her hand upwards, the sharp talonous claws pointed into a cluster of jagged daggers; it spears into her opponent with the sound of severing flesh. It howls, stumbling backwards and tripping. It de-shifts, showing a male, naked and wounded…and older than she thought. She shifts back into her natural form and picks the silver dagger up from where she dropped it. She approaches him, her wounds bleeding just as badly as his but not nearly as fatal, "This is where your days of hunting end, my brother."

The man looks up at her and snarls, "You will have won one battle, but the Brotherhood will find you and wipe out your existence as if you were a fly on a mare's back!"

"HA! You think your friends can find me? I am a hunter, trained to find and kill, a bunch of shadows with daggers won't sneak up on me!"

"You shouldn't underestimate us, it will be the last mistake you make!"

"Well actually, I make a lot of mistakes daily so the whole last mistake thing…absolutely impossible. In any case," she lifts the dagger and plunges it into his hand, shoving it down through the cold earth, "you will not win. So tell me, how many more are coming?"

He laughs, of course she's not going to get any answers from him. She pulls her dagger free and watches the silver poisoning already take effect on his blood. "If I cut through you with this, do you think you'll take long to die?"

The man stares at her, his eyes cold but…smug, "You would make a good assassin, have you thought of-"

She cuts him off by slinging out the blade and slicing open his throat, "My days of temptation are over, I will not compromise myself for anything less than a friend or a duty. I owe the Jester my life and it's a debt I intend on repaying in full, so die little pup and know that in the grand scheme of thing, you were just that, a pup and I, the big bad wolf." She gets to her feet and gathers up as much stuff as she can before lugging it and herself into the hidden sanctuary.

She finds Cicero on the bottom level, removing his clothes with winces and hisses. She drops her stuff by him and opens a health poultice, "Here, take this."

He stares at her with a wide eyed expression, "You are naked friend!"

"Oh yeah," she looks down, "It's sort of a side effect of ripping through your clothes to shape shift."

"Yes," Cicero's nose wrinkles, "Cicero was about to mention the wet dog smell."

She sticks her tongue out at him, "Whatever, you can thank me any minute."

"Yes yes, thank you for killing that wretched dog!"

She laughs and starts searching over the place, "Think anyone left any clothes?"

"Maybe take care of your wounds first?"

She looks down, noticing the flesh that had been mangled, "Ah…yes." She does a quick job of bandaging her wounds then goes back to searching for armor. When Cicero finishes with his wound and cleaning her silver dagger (since she'd taken enough silver on skin contact) he joins her search, obviously uncomfortable with her nudity.

She'd just about given up when Cicero's voice comes chiming from deep inside the sanctuary, "Cicero has found some clothes for friend!"

Kav shakes her head and walks into the room as the Jester shakes out the clothes and holds them out to her. "Thanks…and you know you can call me by my name, right?"

"Oh…Cicero is not sure he knows your name."

"I'm Kav."

"Kav…it's a strange name isn't it? Very fun though, Cicero likes it!" he cackles and goes spinning off. She shakes her head bewildered but dresses just in time for the door to go flying open and, a few moments later, Cicero to cry out in shock. She runs towards them, the Jester…and a very tall and thick Redguard.

"The Listener, it's the Listener!" Cicero flings himself into the man's arms.

The Redguard doesn't return the affection which makes Kav reach slowly for her sword, still discarded at the table.

"Did you kill him, Cicero?" the Redguard asks, his voice low.

Cicero looks up at him, his eyes quizzical.

"He didn't, I did." She wouldn't let Cicero try to explain to this man, who knows what would come from that Jester's odd mouth.

"You!" The man shouts his eyes menacing.

Cicero shoves against him, "Don't! She saved Cicero! The dog was going to eat him!"

The Redguard sighs, his gaze finally falling to the Jester who's still clinging to him, "Then I suppose it's understandable…the Mother misses her darling Keeper."

Cicero screeches in pure joy and starts to dance.

The Redguard watches her suspiciously while she straps on some old (very very very old) assassin armor and equips her sword. She gingerly picks the blade up, careful to not let it touch her bare skin and wraps it in her torn undergarments before putting it in her pack.

"You're like he was, cursed by the moon."

She snorts and folds her arms, "It's only a curse if you let it be, I keep trying to tell the others that."

"Others, there are more of you?" The Redguard flicks his gaze over her, his eyes casting suspicious light even more.

"I live with some yes, in Jorrvaskr."

"You're a Companion?" he says skeptically.

"Yes, I know. I'm as much a murderer and scoundrel as the lowest bodies in Riften, but I'm trying to get my life together."

"By killing one of your own."

"He was not one of mine!" She snarls, turning towards him and stepping close, "And he was about to eat Cicero. I owe that man my life and I would gladly sacrifice it so he can live another day, would you?"

"That's preposterous, I do not owe him my life! But if it came down to it I would sacrifice myself for him, since I share a bed with him!"

Kav feels the gears in her head shift into place, "So that's why you're so hostile!? And here it is that I thought…because I'm a werewolf!" she laughs loudly, feeling her wounds scrape angrily against their bandages. She yelps and holds her side, "Ow…listen…as far as I know…he's not interested in what I have and besides, I'm not interested in him. I'm in love with a werewolf who hates his fur. It's quite a bother really, but I suppose we're both fixer uppers."

The Redguard looks down at his boots, "I apologize…it's just…he's very attractive and I feel as if I have to be on guard, I have no problems with werewolves."

"It's fine, I'm Kav, by the way."

"Zerov, it's a pleasure, thank you for protecting him."

'

'

'

"We need to come up with a plan," Kav says. They're all arranged around the fire which she got burning half an hour ago. Zerov had made stew with the vegetables Cicero had left behind the last time he had holed up inside.

"What sort of plan?" Zerov asks, his gaze turned down yet again.

"The kind that will keep him safe. I'd offer for him to stay with me, but…well the Jorrvaskr isn't an inn. Then again…" she rubs her chin as Cicero pipes up, "Why does Cicero need to move? Isn't it safe here?"

"No she's right, so long as they're looking, you won't be safe here. I can lie and say you're dead, but with her husband dead, Astrid will want proof."

"I have a house…"

The two men turn their heads to look at her, "What?" Zerov asks.

"A house, In Whiterun. I haven't used it since I was the…the…Dragonborn…"

Zerov's jaw drops and his eyes grow wide, "You were the Dragonborn! You are the DRAGONBORN! You're like my hero!"

"Yes yes…well…considering how bad my decisions during the civil war played out for Whiterun, I stopped using it when I decided to give up being the Dragonborn, so it's laid vacant for quite some time."

"Why would you want to stop? Everyone wants to be you!"

Cicero is studying her face, not as excited as his partner. Kav sighs, "I don't want to be me, those who know who I really was during that year, wouldn't want to meet me, let alone be me. I still haven't told those at Jorrvaskr that I'm the reason their town got destroyed. I sided with Ulfric and shouted apart Whiterun to crush the opposition as fast as possible, and I took their Jarl and replaced him with a smug little man."

Zerov goes quiet and then says, "But while you were fighting dragons you-"

"Murdered a mentor, betrayed those who taught me, and killed anyone and anything that got in my way. I was in no way the heroic warrior the country of Skyrim was looking for. I served my purpose, now I'm looking for a new one, one that comes with a new identity. With the Companions I can rebuild myself, grow a heart, and become human. I understand the lust for power, being able to use shouts is…there's nothing like it, but I would give it up for a re-do. I can't even talk to the man I love about a future without feeling as if I've betrayed him."

The two men go quiet, looking into the fire and letting the silence stretch between them. She sighs and leans back on her palms, "Eventually, eventually everything will be fine." She lets herself go completely back and stares up at the ceiling, watching benevolent bats circle around and find their nooks for the night. "But anyway, as I was saying, you can stay in that house if you can sneak in, I'll give you the key and all."

"Cicero can sneak, he can sneak very well."

And so the plan was made, formulating into something solid, coming out of the mist to settle there, obvious and unforgettable.

'

'

'

Whiterun is quiet, only a few guards move up and down the streets, looking for nothing and everything at the same time. Kav walks back behind the buildings, her newly purchased leather armor shining dully as they pass the blacksmiths forge. Cicero follows behind her, a mages hood pulled low over his face. When the reach the paint chipping, run down, shanty house, she pulls out her key and slides to the front and unlocks the door. Cicero slides in after her and the door shuts without anyone noticing. She lights a candle and lifts it up, "Sorry about the clutter, I didn't have time to clean after deciding to leave town."

She moves some things out of the way, dragon bones and spare swords she'd forgotten she had, and leads Cicero upstairs, "It's no palace, but it'll work for a hideout."

Cicero sits down on the bed, "This is very nice!"

"Yes…well…" Kav looks around, memories seemed like fresh ice that cut deep and burn cold. "All I ask is that you keep the noise level down, we don't need you to be found, and don't break anything, some of this stuff is worth a lot of money…and..I'll bring you food every night, enough for the night and the next day, ok?"

"Yes yes, Cicero will be on his best behavior."

"Good, now I need to get back to Jorrvaskr, it's up there on the hill and there's always someone awake, so if someone from that organization of yours comes after you and finds this place, that's where you want to go."

Cicero nods again and tilts over, shoving his face into the pillow, his body collapsing in exhaustion.

Kav leaves the house as quietly and unnoticed as she had gone in. Once safely out in the street she makes no fuss about nodding to the guards and smiling at the drunks filtering out of the inn. Inside Jorrvaskr there's only one figure sitting at the table, his eyes hanging heavily and lines of worry making his already aged face look even older. "Kodlak? Why are you up so late?"

"Someone has to wait up for you. I'll have you know Vilkas has been foaming at the mouth trying to keep himself up every night and day, waiting for you."

"Vilkas has?"

"He's desperate for answers, and for your heart."

She moves to sit beside him, "I'm not able to forgive myself how can I ask that he forgive me?"

"You must find it in yourself, to forget your past. Otherwise, how can you expect to move forward into a brighter future?"

"Do you know what I did?"

"Not only do I know all that you did, but I know who you were."

Kav looks down at the beer soaked wood table, "Can I ask how?"

"You have a very unique scent, hard to forget."

After a moment of silence Kodlak goes on to say, "You may have been ruthless before, but you did good, ended the life of a demon dragon who was causing harm to both the living and the dead, and you ended a war that was pointless. It would have ended eventually and either side would have been bad for Skyrim, it's all politics. However," he smiles at her gently, "you are not that person, you are someone new, and if Vilkas truly loves you as much as it seems he does, then he will accept you and your battle scars, no matter how big they may be."

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 **Ugh I just hashed that out, non-stop writing for like five hours (not really non-stop I get distracted easily.)**

 **Hope you like the extra page or so? I'm just too tired to continue and I can't imagine where it would go through my sleep fog, anyway, goodnight for those of you who are in night…and leave some love**


	10. Chapter 9

After speaking with Kodlak she goes into the bunk room and lays down on the nearest empty bunk. She can identify every companion by how they breathe. It's calming to her, she felt like she's home. With a reluctant sigh she fades away into unconsciousness.

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She's woken by something stroking gently against her cheek. Her eyes felt as if they're glued together and pulling them apart made her wince. Vilkas comes into blurry focus before her. She sits up slowly, her head feeling groggy and heavy. "Vilkas…?"

"Shh, lay back down, you're not well," he says, his voice is soothing and calm.

"I'm fine I just…what time is it?"

"It's late, what happened yesterday?"

"I promised I'd bring him food, let me up."

"You're not going anywhere."

She tries anyway, pushing up against him but her head spins and makes her feel nauseous. "Vilkas will you do it? He can't take care of himself."

"Who?"

"The Jester..he's at the house by the blacksmith."

"The…the Dragonborn's house…" Vilkas pulls back a little.

She grabs onto his hand, "I told you, there's nothing in my past that's worth anything."

"You're the Dragonborn…you destroyed the city…"

She could see the coming disaster so she reaches with trembling hands for her pack and the plethora of potions, one of which would make her feel instantly better.

"Don't…just stop moving. By the Gods Kav…do you know how many people were injured? How many were killed?"

"I chose a side in a war…casualties…were inevitable. I regret it every day of my life and I'm trying-" her voice won't stop trembling because she feels as if he's already separating himself from her, "I'm trying to make up for it." She can't stop it, the burning feeling at the back of her throat or the hot wetness leaking from her eyes. She turns away, trying to hide her face from him, not wanting him to see her weakness, but he stops her, bending his head over and kissing her forehead.

He sighs and grips her hand tightly, "I'll go take food to the Jester, try to get some rest, and he'd better be real."

"Jst tell him that I sent you…that…you have…his food."

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Vilkas knocks on the door, his hand shaking because he hates this house, what it stands for, what it is. He uses the key after knocking only because the knock served as a warning that he's coming in, "Please don't kill me…please be real." He had doubts several times as to whether or not her Jester friend was real, but when he opens the door to see the man standing there with a dagger pointed towards him, those doubts left. "Hold there friend, Kav sent me…she's unwell but wanted to make sure you had food."

The Jester lowers his arm and steps forward cautiously, "Cicero trusts Kav but he's not so sure about…you."

Vilkas holds up a hand and bends slowly to set the bag of vegetables on the ground, "Then I'll be going…"

"Wait!" Cicero takes another step forward, "I have a question…you know who she is now, do you not?"

Vilkas felt chilled by the sudden change in the Jester's attitude, "Yes…I do."

"She was very worried that you would not care for her anymore, her fears are like that of a child, they must be forced away, you must help her…or she will fall back into old habits. I've seen the look in her eye when she speaks of telling you. Do you understand?"

Vilkas stares hard at the Jester, "What is the nature of your relationship?"

"Are you jealous?" the Jester cackles, "I have my love and no room for more, and Kav has her loves no room for me. My love is a strong handsome…tall…Redguard…" Cicero trails off his lips turning up dreamily.

"I understand…I understand perfectly, I better get going."

"Yes yes…she must need her furry companion to keep her warm no?"

'

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Kav rolls over, her body drenching the bed in sweat. Vilkas was moving in and out of the room and she could hear people in the hall talking softly. No one else was in the bunk room even though it was late. Suddenly Vilkas is standing beside her bed, shoving his arms under her body and lifting her upwards. She closes her eyes and when she opens them she's in his room and he's peeling off her armor. "The cure disease potion didn't work…she's just got a fever…hopefully it'll pass."

Vilkas lays her armor down to the side and begins stripping her, "Sorry about this, but… if you think about it, I've seen you naked before."

Kav doesn't fight him, she can't even if she wanted to. In the hall she can hear Aela saying something about Ice and Farkas replying "I told you that won't work! She needs to sweat it out!"

"They're worried about you…we all are," Vilkas says softly.

Kav shifts uncomfortably, her mouth is dry and all she wants is to sleep, but she feels as if she can't. Vilkas pulls some fur over her body and lays down beside her, pulling her close to share their body heat. "Kav…I love you, so please get better soon..."

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 **It's short…I'm sorry but I wanted to write on it without having much of an idea on what to do…I'm sort of unsure of whether or not to put any more like Companions quests in…I don't have the game with me so being able to follow the quest line accurately isn't really something I can do, the wiki pages help but they're not great and hardly give the information I need. What I could do is write an epilogue after the fact…but I don't know yet.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Sorry sorry I know..I'm back! I was having a tough time with life so I took a slight break to just collect my thoughts before I took it out on the characters and I know you guys wouldn't like it.**

 **P.S.- Julie 5 (I believe it was) I have thought about archive of our own but my associates told me it's an invite only so I haven't thought too much on it. As for** _ **her**_ **condition, just wait (honestly I had forgotten about the immunity thing but I came up with something real quick)**

 **Also I was on my traffic graft and noticed that some of you are from foreign countries, so hello from America! Tell me where you're from! I'm always interested in other countries since culture is such a vastly varying thing.**

 **And on to the story!**

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Kav turns over, something soft brushing against her face. She opens her eyes to soft gray fur, it used to belong to a hare, before it was torn off, that is. She sits up, the bunks didn't have rabbit fur blankets. Behind her something stirs, coughing and groaning as it sits up, taking it's warm arm from her side, "Are you awake?"

"I am," she says, her voice trembling with the anxiety bubbling over in her stomach.

"Do you feel better?"

"I feel fine..."

"You've been working too hard, you need rest. Those outside the circle tried to 'cure' you with potions. A stamina one would have worked but we…we didn't think of looking in your pack for one. Kodlak says you're not allowed to take missions for the rest of the week."

"Oh…ok."

"Kav, we need to talk."

She knew it was coming, there was no escaping it. The truth had come out and now she sits with him, alone, in his room, she couldn't expect to walk out without him wanting to talk about it. Vilkas sighs and scratches the back of his head, "Why didn't you tell me?"

She sits up and swallows hard, bringing one knee up to rest her arm on, "Same reason I've told no one since I decided to stop being the Dragonborn, to transition into a life where I'm not who I was…and I'm not."

"No the Dragonborn would have slit my throat if I had found out her secret!" He rubs his face and sighs, "I'm sorry, it's just…I understand now why you love the beasts curse, you…you identify with it. Gods Kav…"

She moves out of the bed and grabs her armor, pulling it on piece by piece, "I don't expect you to understand, if it weren't for the Jester, you **never** would have found out." It comes out sounding a lot angrier then it should have, but she couldn't help it.

"No, wait!" He grabs her hand, stopping her from putting her belt through its loops to hold her leather pants up. "That's not what…it's just a lot to take in. It's hard for me to accept that you're the same woman that I witnessed slaughtering people on her way up to the Dragon's Keep."

"Stop! I'm trying to forget-"

"And the people you killed?! Do they deserve to be forgotten?! You have to accept what you've done Kav, you can't push it away! You can only vow to never harm an innocent person again!"

She turns, "Is that what you want? A vow? Is that the vow you want, the only one? Because right now, I only feel like giving you one."

Vilkas is shocked, his mouth hanging open as he tries to process her words. "What…what are you saying?"

"If you…if you can't accept me, if you can't look at me the same-"

"I can…I just…it's a lot to take in."

"Well you need to learn to take it in, because it's not going away."

Vilkas sighs and steps close to her, "My feelings for you haven't changed."

She could practically hear the 'much' in the way he said it, but she didn't want to argue anymore, she just wanted to stretch out, and once the sun goes down, check on Cicero.

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For three weeks she goes through rounds like a ghost. She goes to the tavern to escape Vilkas, she waits for sundown, she feeds Cicero, she goes home and crashes. Those three weeks of her endless cycle end abruptly with an article hanging on the back of the tavern wall, the Dark Brotherhood's lair was raided and burned to the ground. Under that was another article, Emperor killed while visiting Skyrim. Kav shakes her head and tilts her mead back to stare at the bottle. Earlier that morning the courier had brought her a letter stating that Cicero is free to come back to Dawnstar. Now she has nothing to keep her free. A heavy hand lands on her shoulder and pulls back slowly, "Lass, we need to have a polite conversation."

"Ha…Brynjolf, I didn't think you'd come in so fast…need that favor?"

"Don't I always need a favor Lass? So can we speak privately?"

Kav looks to the bartender and leads Brynjolf to the back room where she sits on the bed, "Go for it, what do you need this time?"

Brynjolf hovers then sits on the edge of the bed, "Lass…come back with me, rejoin the guild, we can make this work."

"Make what work? I'm not cut out for leadership Brynjol-"

Someone comes running into the inn, screaming at the top of their lungs that Jorrvaskr is being attacked. She jumps to her feet and runs for the door and things just…collapse.

.

.

.

Kodlak is dead…Jorrvaskr is burning…Vilkas is yelling, and she's being held back by Brynjolf.

"A thief! Is that where you were!? Kodlak was being murdered and you were off having fun with _**him**_?!"

"No Vilkas I-"

"Just go! We don't want you here anymore!"

Aela looks down as Farkas sobs over Kodlak's corpse. She shoves past Vilkas and heads into the basement, she goes through Kodlak's things while the others think she's getting her things. With his journal in hand she carries her stuff upstairs, "If you really want me to leave then fine. Come on Brynjolf, I'll go back with you after all."

"Wait! He's just mad, please…" Aela grabs her arm but Kav shakes out of it.

"No…no he's not just mad, he's been wanting to get rid of me ever since he found out!"

"That's a lie and you know it!" Vilkas snarls.

"You were so desperate for the truth and you got it and now-"

"Shut up! You have no idea how I-"

"Might as well tell everyone!"

"Don't you dare-"

"I'm the Dragonborn! And if I ever see you again I'll shout your limbs off your body!" She screams it so loud that she can't even bear the thought that that shriek sound came from her.

Brynjolf grabs her wrist in the silence, "Come on Lass…let's go."

She nods her agreement and turns away.

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They stopped by her old house to pick up Cicero, figuring they could drop him off on the road to Dawnstar. Her plan is to take the northern road to Riften. Then she goes through her things, loudly sorting out some merchandise that can fund them for a while, not even caring if anyone knows anymore. Her heart felt cold, Vilkas' explosion was too much for her to handle. The pure wrath behind his words stung at her and made her harden…now she desires to hurt him, and there's only one way she can do that.

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 **I…I no longer know how long this is gonna be … oh well sorry this chapter was sort of choppy and not nearly as well written as usual but it's been stressful lately.**

 **Leave me some LOVE~~~~~~~**


	12. Chapter 11

Bitterness…it's what she feels as she tosses Kodlak's journal onto the table. She wants to deny the Companions the satisfaction of completing his task but as she reads it she's reminded of what Kodlak meant to her. "So this is what I am after all… just a bitter demon of a warrior."

"It had to all be a misunderstanding," Karliah says gently. By now everyone knows what happened to her, and what brought her back.

"You think so? What part?"

 _The memories came back in a flood, Vilkas had cornered her on a road, hunted her down like pray and stopped her. By that point Brynjoolf had gone ahead, leaving down the southern road while she took Cicero further up north to the split road. "So did you enjoy it? The time alone with your brooding friend while Jorrvaskr burned?"_

" _We were talking Vilkas, nothing more!"_

" _Oh, I find that severely hard to believe! You've been sneaking off every day!"_

" _Well I'm not sneaking off now! And for your information he looks at me like an Uncle might! I'm his protégé not his fuck buddy! Not like you and AELA!"_

" _At least Aela's not a lying monster!"_

 _Kav takes a step back, her eyes going calm as she stares into his, "So then the truth comes out huh? All that time…you pretended to want to get to know me, but you already knew. Funny how things went sour before they even-"_

" _Don't you dare! You're the one that wouldn't let it happen, I tried to see you differently!"_

" _That's the problem! You shouldn't have tried, I was trying to change, but you couldn't see that! All your talk and encouragement and you were just as hateful towards me! Go home Vilkas, you've made your point."_

" _Wait!...Where were you, if you weren't with him?"_

" _Drinking at the tavern. If you had come looking, I'm sure you would have found me, with that sharp nose of yours." She turns and without saying goodbye, disappears into the night._

"I'll admit, when you first revealed your identity to us, I was just as skeptical," Delvin says as he sets a beer on the table in front of her, "but it's his loss to not see you as you really are."

"I have to take care of Kodlak's last wishes… no matter what problems I have with the others, I can't punish him, he was so good to me." She gets to her feet, the bar going quiet around her. "And none of you can come with me, with your sticky fingers…"

"What have you got to do Lass?"

"Kill some witches, and uhm…ok, Brynjolf, wanna steal something from the Companions?"

"What will I be stealing?"

"When we…they…when they were attacked the fragments of an old weapon were taken, and without that weapon I can't gain entry to the cave."

"So you kill witches, I steal from some of the most terrifying warriors in Skyrim and then you go **alone** on a mission? Lass, are you sure about this?"

She bites the nail of her thumb, head turned downward, "You're right, I'll need someone with killing skills to go in my stead to kill the witches…meanwhile you and I will go to Jorrvaskr to gather the shards."

"Need backup, ey Lass? What about that favor you owe me?"

"And what is that?"

He answers nothing, but supplies a sly smile, like a fox creating a clever ruse.

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 _Glass fragments on black sand, shining a dull opaque light and showing them a different world. The world is filled with golden light, soft and exuberant, dancing creatures with happiness in their heart. This black void is ever-changing, shades of grey and purple filtering over shining orifices with dense light. Nothing dwells here…nothing can breathe where there is no air…_

Kav wakes, sweat sliding down her brow and nose. The fire had died some time during the night, its smoke now snakes its way into the ash gray sky. There's a dense fog hanging over the forest and the air tasted of a coming storm. She glances to her left and sees Brynjolf asleep against a tree, his shoulders lifted against the light chill, arms crossed, auburn hair falling forward over his dirty features. She wipes a hand over the back of her neck and gets to her feet. She goes to a nearby stream and gently scoops water into her palms to drink. The task before her is daunting but might not be as hard as it sounds. Stealing Mehrunes Razor could do wonders for the reputation of the Thieves guild, but it's most likely guarded by cultic members, or maybe it's just some stupid fan who's made a museum for a deity that tried to destroy their world at one point. Kav sighs and closes her eyes, letting the morning air cling to her dampened face. She gets back up and walks back towards camp.

By the time she arrives back Brynjolf is already awake and smothering the remnants of the fire under his boot. The only reason they were heading for the Razor is because it's in Dawnstar, right next to the Dark Brotherhood's Sanctuary. The convenience of knocking two missions out at once was too wonderful to pass up. "We should get there by sun down, then all we have to do is kill time at the Inn and sneak into the museum."

"Sounds easy enough, maybe it won't be so bad? No let me take that back, I don't want to jinx us," Brynjolf says with a shake of his head.

By the time they get on the road there's already a light drizzle coming from above. "You know Lass, I've been thinking about your situation with this man…and for once I think it'd be best to be honest."

"Do you now?" She says bitterly.

"Yes," he pulls on his reigns a little to match his horses pace to hers, "I do, you love him don't you?"

"He thinks I cheated on him with you, Bryn…or that I had sex with you while Kodlak lay dead. I don't even know what we were," she sighs.

"That's not what I asked, Lass."

She sighs and looks down at the leather straps gripped in her fist, "I don't know…not anymore. I used to be sure, the only thing holding me back was my secret, and for a while I thought…no I was sure, that if I came out and told him the truth he'd accept it but…I was wrong."

"He didn't have time to accept it before his home was burned and his friend killed, did you give him time Lass?"

She was taken aback by his question, she hadn't…not before she distanced herself from him, made it impossible for him to get adjusted. "No," she answers finally, "I didn't, and there's really no chance to rectify it, I'm fairly certain it's over. Whatever chance the Gods gave us is long gone."

Brynjolf chuckles, "Don't be so sure Lass."

…

…

…

 _ **This is the life we lead, we don't choose it…nor do we bend to it. If we can adapt we thrive, but those of us who can't…turn to ash.**_

The voice that haunts her dream is vaguely familiar, something comforting and calm about it. Dawnstar is winding down for the night, the ship docked in the harbor is bustling with activity as its crew finish scraping down its sides. Brynjolf leaves her side, heading straight to the inn while she stays to wander around. There's the mine down the way, she knows there's two but she'd only ever gone to the one up top to sell ore. She sits down on a boulder, slapping off the snow first. Dawnstar is one of those places that constantly has snow on the ground, glaciers just outside the harbor, and a constant blanket over the sky. It's a place a nord could go to escape and maybe she should have come here, caught a fishing vessel and taken to the sea, but she was a fighter and Skyrim still has dragons to fight. "Was it a mistake to join the Companions, knowing your history?" She asks herself. She shakes her head, she has a new home, a family that didn't care about her previous sins, all she needs to do is help Kodlak out, finish his quest, then everything will be ok, she can get through life…right?

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 **It's getting close to time for me to head back home…and I'm honestly not dreading it. I have an anime convention to get ready for and a Lolita dress to sew, but I am dreading the flight, after the hassle I went through with the last group of flights. This trip has been good, I got to meet my nephew and see my step sister's big ol' belly holding yet another nephew (that makes four nephews and 0 nieces by marriage (I have an adopted niece)) and see friends I haven't gotten to in some time. I'm telling you this so you'll know why if the next update takes a few weeks.**


	13. Chapter 12

**I've officially decompressed from my flight…let me tell you….Dallas fw airport sucks balls. In any case, this one is short, I pre-wrote it on some paper so it probably won't stretch out as long as it is on the paper…**

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"They're only Fragments," she says bitterly, holding up the razor fragment to the sun, "Why are all important weapons in my life, fragments?!"

Brynjolf opens the velvet pouch so she can drop it in, "Look at it this way Lass, by now your assassin friends have completed their task."

She shakes her head, "We might as well go to Whiterun to collect the pieces of Wuuthrad."

"Do you know where they'll be Lass?" Brynjolf asks as he pockets the velvet pouch.

"Eorlund Gray-Mane would be my first guess. He was always soft on me, maybe he'll let me use them if I promise to bring it back."

"It's worth a try I suppose. Are you sure you're ready to go back?"

"No, but delaying it won't help my situation any."

"I suppose you're right."

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Cold, she feels it in her blood, her bones, her very marrow. When Skyrim rotates out of summer and into the ceaseless iciness of winter, it happens all at once, there's no autumn weather like there is in Cyrodiil to ease one's body into it. Even then Cyrodiil doesn't get this cold, not even in the winter up north. She thinks of Cyrodiil often, of the vast highway that crisscrosses the country and the Imperial City that could fill an entire region of Skyrim. She barely misses it though, except for the dock in Anvil, the seaside city that spans almost entirely over the golden coast. She misses living by the dock side, the sea air that swooped over the armada of sails spanning in origins from exotic Elsweyr to the swamps of Black Marsh and even the enchanting island forests of Summerset Isles. As a child she used to watch those peculiar sailors unpack their ships, dropping their cargo by the customs office and waiting for their permits to sell them or bring them into Cyrodiil. She wouldn't mind going back, but she couldn't stand the most fundamental part of that country, the Imperials. Never in the history of Tamriel was there a race more cut throat and prude then the Imperials. They care for money and power, never without each other. They thought of themselves as superior, enjoying the downfall of other countries, it's why she decided to help Skyrim kill off the Imperial infection. Yes the Imperials enjoy a lavish lifestyle, their country is the most sophisticated and urbanized but…each to their own, every country should have their own customs, their culture is unique like a finger print.

She's stirred from her memories by Brynjolf's hand on her shoulder. She looks around her and smiles. Whiterun at night is a mix of firelight and drunken laughter. Brynjolf pulls his hood lower as they near Jorrvaskr, "Let's pray we succeed Lass."

She hadn't worn the guild armor, simply because she's on a mission for Kodlak and it didn't feel right. She climbs the stairs to the Sky forge and holds out a hand to stop Brynjolf, "Eorlund."

The older man turns, a rod of half white hot steel in hand, "Pup, what are you doing here?"

"I must ask a favor of you, do you still trust me?"

He drops the steel into the forge, leaving the cooler end poking out against the stone, "I do, but the Companions…they do not."

"I do not wish for them to, I have a task, I believe I know how to cure our curse."

He smiles wryly, "I'm not supposed to know about that."

"But you do."

"Ah yes well…how is your smithing?"

She sighs and steps forward, "I haven't forged in weeks."

Eorlund pulls something off a table, "Then are these what you're here for? I've mended the axe head, but the handle…it's still in bits. If you repair it, it must be in the Skyforge, no other will work…I will keep the others from coming up here, but I have too much work and so far…there hasn't been much call for finishing it."

Kav rubs her chin, "I have an idea, or a timeline to be precise. Brynjolf, I need you to go and collect the package from Dawnstar and bring it to its final destination. Can you do that?"

"Of course Lass…are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"Yes," she nods as if she's trying to assure herself that it is the right path.

Brynjolf steps forward, "If you run into any trouble, don't be too proud to run. There's no reason for you to withstand any sort of torture."

"I owe Kodlak my life. He knew me all along and yet…he allowed me to stay, to change and it's all I've ever wanted. I will do whatever it takes to help him and the Companions."

Brynjolf chuckles, "That's what I'm worried about Lass…stay safe, we can always regroup." With that last tidbit of advice he turns and leaves, vanishing into the night like the good thief he is.

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She has more experience repairing weapons then she does creating them from scratch as her family starts them at a young age perfecting imperfect weapons and filling in scratches. This went on for a year or until their father was satisfied with their work, then they would put shards together, replace a worn grip or more. After she left she didn't have much use since every city in Skyrim has a Blacksmith that is good in their own right. So even though she was good enough to have wealthy men come to her asking for ceremonial weaponry, she never used those skills in Skyrim. Repairing such an ancient weapon is an honor, so she takes her time and it's not until the next night that she gives her skin a rest from the forge's fire. She lifts the completed piece, Wuuthrad in its complete glory, at last.

Eorlund comes over and inspects it, "This is good work, very impressive. If you want to come back to Whiterun, maybe prove to the people you're not who you once were, I could use a partner up here to help me manage. Skyrim's armies need Skyforge steel and I don't want to compromise quality."

"I'm nowhere near as good as you Eorlund."

"Not yet, but with a few months of practice, you could be."

She smiles, for what felt like the first time, "Thank you, I might just take you up on that. Right now though, I have to go deal with that wolf that's down there, he's been waiting for a few hours now."

She holds Wuuthrad in her hands, spread over her flattened palms, "With your permission, I'd like to take this."

"Wrap it first," Eorlund says, tilting his head towards his table. She goes to it and wraps the entire axe in parchment then, as a second thought, scribbles something on a spare scrap with a sharpened charcoal stick. She binds the parchment to the axe with some twine and clips it to her back harness. She gives a nod to Eorlund, "If I need anything else, or if I decide to take you up on your offer, which I very well might, then I'll be back. If I die before I can return this then I'll have it sent…backup channels and all that."

Eorlund tilts his head, "Don't worry, I do not doubt your honor."

Vilkas is waiting by the Underforge his head lowered, arms crossed. "What are you doing back?"

"You don't own the city Vilkas, and you don't own the Skyforge or the man that works it."

"I asked what you're doing back…you think I can't smell him, bringing a thief into this city."

"Are you still on that? He owes me a great deal, I saved his guild-"

"A guild of criminals, yes I suppose you should be very proud of that."

"I was a different person!" she snaps.

"I'm not letting you take Wuuthrad."

She grits her teeth and hands him the note, "Go to the Ragged Flagon in Riften, give the pretty blond this. When you read what she gives you, come where you know I'll be. You can have Wuuthrad back after that, and maybe even cure yourself of the curse."

"Wait…just a moment." He touches her arm, almost too gently, "I miss you."

"You should have thought about that sooner." She tugs her arm away, "Just do as I've said, you won't regret it, I promise."

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 **Welp…it started out as what I had written down…then it just…evolved. Quick conversation starter, I've been thinking about which country they should do next for elderscrolls six, if they ever make one, and this was even more brought forward…ugh I'm tired don't mind my word choices, when this person said they didn't want the next game to be in Tamriel but outside of it…NO! There's still so much to do in Tamriel, so which country would you guys like? I'll tell you mine next story update.**

 **P.s. this will be updated later, I tried just now to log in and it gave me a 503 error so I'll give it a day or two, depending on how long it takes me.**

 **P.s.s did you know Facebook tab and fanfiction tab look the same to tired eyes?**


	14. Chapter 13

**Sorry, stress kept me from immediately finishing this page, college sucks balls so bad and costs so much even for community college and my mom is pressuring me into everything, basically she wants me to get out despite the fact that I just graduated high school last year and was completely unprepared for real life, but if I go to live with my dad she'll throw a fit…so yeah…I've been crying myself to sleep for a bit now :/**

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She stands at the top of the tomb with Wuuthrad unwrapped and waiting. Brynjolf has his shoulders hunched against the cold wind and snow, his hood drawn low over his face. "I won't go in with you Lass, it's not my place, so this is where we part."

"Thank you Brynjolf, I couldn't have done this without your help."

"Sure you could have, just not as fast." He smiles at her then nudges the sack of heads with the toe of his boot, "Don't forget these, they stink like rot."

Kav bends over and grabs the bag by its tied end, "Of course, it won't work without them. You should head back now, the storm will only get worse, don't need you getting trapped in a death cave."

He offers her a smile, a sad one, "I know you're not coming back…I know you're going to forgive him, you're going to go back to that town and make good on yourself."

She looks at where the mountains claw at the sky and sighs, "You're probably right…but you can always count on me, Brynjolf. If the Guild ever needs help…if your funds deplete, call on me."

He huffs with his sad look, "You won't come back, you want to be a better person Lass…to do that, you need to leave us behind."

"Doesn't mean I will." She knows his words are true…but the thieves had been good friends with her and she found it hard to contemplate turning her back on them.

He grabs her shoulders with firm hands, "I wish you well Lass, you deserve more then you tell yourself."

She puts her left hand on his shoulder, "You too Brynjolf, don't get caught ok?"

He snorts and pulls away, " **ME** get caught?" He tilts his head to her and turns, leaving her alone in the cold dead landscape.

She heads down the spiral stairs and bends down to pick the lock. Vilkas probably has the key with him but lucky for her, she's quite adept at ancient locks. The tumblers click into place and she gives the door a rough shove. It swings open, scraping against the stone floor. The air inside is stale, but that's pretty standard for every tomb. She's greeted by darkness and Ysgramor's statue. She steps up onto the stone slab beneath his feet and lifts the axe up. She's sure this is what she's supposed to do judging by the way his hands are. She slides the weapon into his stone grip and waits. There's a pop and a hiss, dust moves from behind Ysgramor, coming forward like a tidal wave. Kav swats a hand in front of her face, suppressing the coughs that seep up through her, begging to be set free. She glances around the cavern then lights a torch and starts forward. The first obstacles she comes upon is a couple of skeevers, nothing difficult. She watches the floor for pressure plates and trap springs, in fact she's so enamored in what she's doing that she doesn't notice them at first. The ghosts come out of the stone coffins and fly towards her, spectral swords clashing against her hastily thrown up creation. It takes her a few strange moments to defeat the ghosts, "How are they corporeal?" She choked it up to magic and continues on, pushing the next door open. At the top of the stairs she curses, she knows this room is going to be filled with enemies soon, she can taste it in the air.

Finally, after hours of fighting she finds the final chamber, "Kodlak this had better work, I'm cold, tired, my boots are wet, and I'm all cut up."

She pulls a witch head from the sack and approaches but before she reaches it a figure shows up, glowing in the dim light of her torch, "It will."

"Kodlak…is that you?" she asks in disbelief.

"Of course, I've been waiting, trying to evade the inevitable. I never thought you'd come."

"I almost couldn't. I'll be honest, Vilkas and the others…they didn't want me around. I had to steal and cheat to find my way here."

"You didn't steal, and we're all proud of you and honored to count you among us."

"Us?"

"I'm not the only one here, hiding out."

She shakes her head, deciding not to question it.

"Eorlund gave you the axe and even if you took it from the Companions without their permission the axe belongs to the tomb."

"Right, so what now?"

"I don't rightly know, Vilkas and I were working on finding out exactly what to do."

"In your journal, it said…I don't know what…I'm doing." She bows her head and rubs the palm of her hand over her tired eyes.

"Put the head in the fire."

Kav turns, her hair whipping out into the air, Vilkas is standing in the doorway, his sword tip touching the ground. There's no one else with him, it's just him.

She lifts the ugly head and puts it into the blue flames, instantly the air in the room turns hostile, Kodlak vanishes and a spectral wolf appears. It leaps at her over the flames, jaws hanging open exposing sharp teeth. Kodlak lifts his form from the ground and moves back, trying to get out of the way or scared of his beast form, who knows what it looks like to him. Kav doesn't have time to draw her sword as the beast lands on her, she grabs his nose and chin, trying to push his head away. Vilkas brings his sword up and brings it down hard, embedding it into the wolf's flesh. The animal bucks and Vilkas' sword is wrenched from his hand and slams against his stomach, knocking him back and making him trip over the stairs. The wolf turns angrily towards Vilkas. Kav scrambles and musters up a feeling in her chest she hasn't felt for what seemed like ages. "FUS RO DAH!" the end of the sound is like a shriek that rends the air, the wolf goes flying back, hitting a wall with surprising hardness. Vilkas gets to his feet and Kav jumps to hers, ripping her sword from its sheath, "Stand back."

The wolf comes at her again but this time, she lifts the blade up, calmly pointing it to the ceiling, blade pointing towards the enemy. The wolf rams into it, the force sending her sliding back, and with a yelp, it falls. It was over in a second, it was there then it was down. Her own voice echoes in her ears, as Vilkas' sword clangs to the ground in what felt like slow motion.

Kodlak smiles from where he stands, "Thank you, I can feel my soul go free. The others are still trapped though, perhaps from Sovengarde we can wage war."

"I suppose you could, give Hircine a run for his money, if you think about it ask the old Dragonborn's for help, they miss the fight."

"I will, Vilkas, treat her right, and Kav go back to Jorrvaskr and rest. I expect you to lead the Companions to victory." He gives them one last smile and slowly melts from view. The cave grows warmer and she's left panting, sore, and sad. Vilkas retrieves his blade, "The others…they're back at the front."

"There's a back door you know."

"Kav…I'll admit my pride was hurt when I thought…I can't apologize enough. I was so angry and torn over Kodlak's death that-"

"Vilkas…please don't."

The silence stretches between them before the sound of his blade clicking into its holster, "Kav…come home." He says no more and turns, leaving the way he came. She watches him go, eyes glossing over his back, the strength in it made her feel…funny."

 **So you ever write something and you realize the flaws in your design? Like I completely forgot that you Kodlak has no clue what to do. So yeah…but for our stories purpose let's just leave that out? Anyway I know this one is short but the next one will be the last ^.^ at least I think it will be, you know how I am, nothing in this has gone the way I thought it would at the beginning, like originally I thought it was about them fighting over being werewolves (whether it was good or not) and I thought it would be three chapters tops, yet this is the 13'th chapter, (0).(0). The support I've gotten from you guys is amazing and I love you all so much!**


	15. Chapter 14

**Here it is, the last full chapter…**

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The heat of the forge felt almost scalding, the only gift is the cold winter air at her back. Eorlund stopped watching her every move about a month ago. She bends over to inspect the newest blade checking for imperfections. Someone approaches, heavy boots clumping on the stone steps. She smells sweet rolls and beef stew. Eorlund had left about an hour ago, something about his anniversary that is tomorrow. The person sets a tray of food and drink on the worktable and sighs, "You've been out here all night."

She felt a chill go down her spine, "I have to make this perfect, it's for the Jarl's nephew and Eorlund wants it perfect."

"You'll catch your death out here."

"Vilkas," she says tiredly, "I appreciate your effort but I just don't think-"

"We…we actually need to talk about something…something serious that's resulted from your decisions."

She was about to say something jokingly about a broken heart but he looks too serious so she sets the sword down and turns, giving him her full attention.

"Ulfric has begun enslaving the 'lesser' races, starting with the Argonian."

"He's what?"

"Try talking to him, you're the last hope that we have!"

"Vilkas…just give me…" she sits down on the edge of the forge, ignoring the heat on her back. She almost felt like she couldn't breathe, sure she knew Ulfric wasn't the perfect candidate but she thought once he got onto the throne he'd calm down.

"What do you want me to do?"

He sighs and runs a gloved hand through his hair, "I don't know…any move could risk another civil war."

"Skyrim can't handle another one, the people have had it."

"Then what…what do we do? You don't have to be alone in this you know."

Kav sighs, "No I don't, but I won't drag the Companions into it."

Vilkas studies her, "When you come back…maybe you can move back into Jorrvaskr."

She swallows and stands back up, turning her back to him. "I don't…I don't know Vilkas."

He steps up behind her and grabs her hand, "How many times do I have to apologize before you forgive me?"

She shakes her head and puts the sword she had been working on into the chest hidden in a corner of the forge, "I just…I need some time." She walks away from him and finds her refuge in the underforge, for a short amount of time anyway. Farkas comes in, his indecision about his wolf form had been wearing on him since he found out there's a cure. At first he just stands there staring at her, then he smiles, "Kav, it's been a while." And a while it had been, Vilkas is the only Companion that doesn't give her space, the others avoid her, not in an ill manor, but as if they're trying to let her cool her head and process things. She saw them on some days when the sun is warming Whiterun, they bring their lunches out onto the patio and watch the sky outside the walls. She would kneel by the short barrier around the forge and rest her arms on it, feeling almost a pride by the way they fought and trained and yet still managed to enjoy simple things and find time to enjoy them.

"It has," she says, finally admitting her agreement, "Though I've been keeping an eye on all of you, when you play outside."

"We are men and women, we do not play."

She smiles benignly, "But there is so much joy in what you do, it's hard to see it as work."

Farkas looks as if he hasn't thought of it like that before, then comes forward and rests his palms against the basin, "Will you keep the gift?"

"Of course, I see the usefulness of it, and when I'm in form…I can't help but feel a little pleasure, some freedom if you will."

He nods, "Brother won't be keeping it for much longer, he has long been weary of it."

"I know," Kav says gently. In her years as a Companion she'd always had a soft spot for Farkas, he wasn't as quick as the others which made him seem so lovable, as if he's a never ending brother.

"Kodlak believed it to be a curse…and according to Vilkas, he also believed you should be the next-"

"Don't…please. I have enough on my plate without constantly worrying whether I'm doing good for you."

Farkas sighs and leans forward a little, staring into the water in the basin, "You worry too much."

"I worry for good reason."

"Well, I don't care what you think, you're a good leader." He pushes away from the basin, "I think Vilkas is looking for you, I'll leave you to your thoughts."

She sits down on one of the stone ledges and stares at the tiny hole in the wall. The sky is getting lighter outside, which means morning is approaching. She didn't want to waste time trying to think about what's to come…she didn't want to think about much of anything, it's time to act, and acting goes without thought on some of its best occasions. She leaves the Underforge and goes straight into Jorrvaskr, taking the stairs down to the living quarters two at a time, and ignoring the gasps at her sudden and long awaited appearance. She heads straight for his door and finds him half-dressed and becoming closer to nude. He turns a look of annoyance on his face but when he sees that it's her he goes blank.

"I'm not sure where my life is going Vilkas, I'm not even sure if I have much more of it left…that's why…I can't risk dying without telling you. Those few moments we had as something more…they're my most treasured, because you were the only one that ever looked at me like I could do right and I could do wrong, the only one that saw me as a human and treated me as such. You were my closest friend and the only companion I wished near; and I'm sorry…so unbearably sorry that I let things get raw between us. If I could take it all back I…I-"

He approaches her fast. His arms couldn't reach her fast enough and his lips tasted like relief. Every inch of her had been dying to feel this, to be held by him. Her body melts against him and she doesn't move, she doesn't dare tempt things past what he's willing to do. He seems bigger like this, without his armor, maybe because she can feel his muscles and see where his body begins and ends. He lifts his head back up, "Kav…I've been trying to tell you all this time, nothing has changed in me. I still love you, yes I got mad when Kodlak died but…it wasn't long after that…after we killed the silver hand and reclaimed the Wuuthrad fragments…I felt as if I'd committed a great crime against you."

"No…I acted like a child. I shouldn't have hid, I should have faced you. If I had things might have been different, for all I know…" she drops her head, putting her forehead against his shoulder, "things would have been different." She breathes.

He sighs and presses his lips against the top of her head, "All of our actions have consequences, and you aren't the only one to have made mistakes and yours aren't even the worst."

She holds onto him tightly, feeling his skin against her fingers. She can feel his heart against her chest, beating a slow rhythm. She feels herself sway, exhaustion pulling at her eyelids. Vilkas lifts her up into his arms with ease and carries her to the bed. He sits on the edge and cradles her smaller frame against him, "You should rest."

Kav turns her face into his shoulder and sighs, "I don't want to, If I rest, when I wake, I'll have to go."

He puts her down close to the wall and pulls himself close to her, "You don't have to go right away, and you can't function without rest, we've already been through that."

Kav smiles and presses her back against his chest, his arms resting over her waist, "Promise you won't leave?"

He chuckles, "I'm not going anywhere."

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She wakes to the sound of gentle breathing and the feeling of warmth. She's no idea of the time but her body aches as if it's been too long. She moves onto her back and then onto her other side. She brings her hand up and touches his chest. The candle on the table had gone out leaving the room without any light but her eyes adjusted and she could see him well enough. She sits up and kisses his lips gently, "I'm sorry," she breathes.

Gingerly she climes over him and leaves the room without much noise. It's dawn outside, the town is just waking up and Eorlund is stoking his forge. She climes up to him and puts a gentle hand on his shoulder, "My friend."

He turns his eyebrow lifting, "Where have you been?"

She smiles sadly, "Saying goodbye to Vilkas…though I don't think he realizes it…he will though and when he does I'm hoping you'll be an open ear."

"Where are you going?" He asks as if he's angry and sad and yet vaguely accepting that her life may just be ending.

"I have to clean up a mess that I've made. It might be fatal…and I don't have time to explain. If I…if I die…will you…"

"I'll take care of your funeral."

"That's not what I mean, but I do appreciate it. Take care of them, they need a new leader and…I know you know who it should be." She doesn't say anything past that but instead turns running into the dawn fog.

Surprisingly Farkas is in the stables tending to Aela's horse, "She forgets she has a horse I think."

She smiles and goes to the carriage, "I need a fast passage to Windhelm if Ulfric is still there."

"The High King is still visiting, and won't be leaving until the end of the week."

"Here's the coin, let me talk to that man for a second then we can get on the way."

The driver offers her a soft nod and nothing more.

She walks back to Farkas who is staring hard at the horse's nose. She swallows hard and stares down at her boots, "I have to go…you know I do…No one else will do what has to be done."

"But things were just getting better, they were going back to how they were supposed to be!"

"I know and if I survive this…I'll come back. But I have to do things right, I have to set things back to the way they're meant to be. I'll put Balgruuf back into his seat…I'll set them all back into their places and…and…."

"That's if you survive, what if you don't? Nothing will change but we'll have lost you."

"I can't let him continue like this, Farkas! I have to do this I can't live with myself. Just do something for me, when Vilkas wakes up…or when you see him next, tell him I'm sorry and that I love him…but I can't wait for Ulfric to reach the tip of his cruelty, I need to end this now."

Farkas takes a shuddering breath and nods, "Alright, I'll be sure he knows…but he'll follow you, you're aware right?"

"That's why I have to be faster than him."

"Then you shouldn't take the carriage…take my horse. He needs a good run and I never ride him anyway, I prefer to run."

Her stomach twists painfully but she swings up onto Farkas' horse. "Thank you…hopefully he'll find his way back to you."

"Don't speak as if you're already dead," he says disapprovingly.

She tosses her head to the side, "Keep the money." She says to the carriage driver.

She gives a nod to Farkas and a soft goodbye and she's off.

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Windhelm is one of the cities that seems to be in perpetual blizzards. She covers her face with some spare linen and trudges through the snow towards the palace. There are hundreds of people inside, just sitting around and taking shelter from the cold. Ulfric is in his throne with his replacement Jarl by his side. She approaches him and once he notices her he calls for silence with his booming voice. "Dragonborn, it's been a while!"

"Yes…apparently it's been too long, I hear you're policies involve slavery, tell me it's not true."

Ulfric shifts in his seat and sighs, "We have no use for lesser beings-"

"That's a very imperial thing to say!" she snarls.

"DON'T interrupt your king…for years these beings have been going around Skyrim and trying to get things to change, well no more! We'll use them instead or kick them out."

"There are different ways to handle this, Ulfric!"

"No there aren't' and you can either stand with me or submit to imprisonment, I won't stand for rebellious behavior anymore."

The guards come towards her, axe's drawn. She'd been to prison once already…she wasn't about to go back without having killed him.

"You leave me no choice Ulfric…I challenge you for the throne. Winner takes the throne."

"You wish to enact that ancient right?" he laughs loudly.

"It was your defense for why you shouted apart the last High King, or have you forgotten? Has anyone here forgotten?" she turns, looking at the crowd, " I fought for this country, for Skyrims independence, so she can be free to rule herself to have her customs! And this is a custom I plan on using."

Ulfric stands, his fists trembling in anger, "Is there anyone here who really wishes to see this…fraud of a woman on the throne!?"

At first no one responds then slowly there's a spattering of 'aye' The Dark Elves came forward first, "We were born here, we are just as much a part of Skyrim as the Nords, and we want a leader who can acknowledge that!"

"Aye! I say let the Gods speak and they've already chosen her as the Dragonborn who ended the reign of terror caused by Alduin!"

"She fought harder than you during the war!"

"Let the Companion try for the throne."

"You know this is a fight to the death right Dragonborn?"

"I am fully aware."

Ulfric comes down the steps and pulls the axe from a hand of the guard, "We'll fight on equal terms, you get one of these too."

"Aye, I'll agree to that, and no shouting, you and I both know that if it came down to it, I'd win a shouting match."

He snorts, "Fine, have it your way."

They both pull off the top layer of clothing and armor, leaving nothing but thin shirts and greaves. She hears a commotion by the door but decides not to turn, she could tell just by the scent in the air that the Companions had come. She twists her wrists and gears up for the fight. Ulfric is trained as a soldier, she came by it on accident, but he's heavy and slow while she's quick and well, young. She dodges his first attack but barely, her sleeve is torn from her shirt and barely hangs on by a thread. She swings and he jumps back. It continues like that until she hears a soft, "Please gods…let her live."

A rush of adrenaline drives her into a narrowed perception, she can hear her heart and no longer the sound of the crowd. Her internal organs gear up and she rears back, leaping into the air with her axe and twisting hard to bring the axe down with as much force as possible. Ulfric yelps and falls backwards, completely taken by surprise. She's still thriving on her adrenaline so she goes in again. This time though, Ulfric swings just in time. At first she doesn't register the pain...then it slowly sinks in, she almost feels…hungry…then…excruciating pain. She screams and embeds the axe in the first bit of flesh she sees. Ulfric falls, the axe sitting between his eyes. She gasps and falls to her knees. A healer is called as people murmur softly, debating on how ok they were with what just happened. The healer comes and makes quick work with her stomach, or at least that's what Kav perceives before she's surrounded by blackness and nothingness….

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 **The last update will be an epilogue so I'll see you guys then.**


	16. The End

She's being rocked, it feels warm where she's is and soft. Her eyes peel open as the rocking hits a snag and jerks her roughly. She's in what looks like a wooden box with small windows and as she rolls over she finds that she's laying on the softest fur she'd ever felt and there's a pillow under her head that doesn't feel like a bag of rocks. The box she's in hits another bump so she sits up and takes a look around. There's pillows everywhere that look as if they came from somewhere exotic with the different colors and sewn in jewels that sparkle. She opens the curtains and finds that she's traveling along a road with horses and soldiers around her. She can't remember how she got there, in fact the last thing she remembers are Vilkas' softly whispered words during her fight with Ulfric. Judging by the scene outside the window she can figure out they're heading west.

She locks in on one of the guards and clears her throat, "Excuse me!"

The guard turns his head and pulls his horse closer to her, "Yes your highness?"

"Highness?"

"Yes…you are the High Queen after all."

"Ah…uh…um….STOP!"

The carriage pulls to a halt and she's about to hop out when she realizes she's got no clothes on, "Where…Why am I NAKED!"

There's the sound of voices then the carriage door opens. She gasps and pulls the blankets closer to her chest to cover at least some of her. However when she sees that it's Vilkas who steps into the carriage and crouches beside the bed she lets them go to hug him, throwing her arms around his neck. He reaches a hand out to keep himself from falling out the door. "Are you alright?"

She shakes her head and takes a deep breath, the best thing about being half beast is you can get lost in another person's sent. He strokes her hair softly and sighs, "We're almost to Solitude, try to get a bit more rest."

"Vilkas I've been doing nothing but resting, I want to get out and stretch my legs."

He studies her then nods slowly, "Alright, let me go fetch you some clothes."

He comes back a few moments later with a black and blue dress she's seen on some merchants. She slips into it then takes his hand as he helps her out of the carriage. They walk away from the caravan of horses with just two guards trailing behind them at a 'safe' distance. After a while Vilkas links his fingers into hers, "I suppose this means you won't be coming back to Whiterun for some time." There's a tinge of sadness to his voice that's hard to miss.

"Don't be absurd, I'm going to be a queen unlike any Skyrim has ever seen." She stops, pulling him around to face her and reaching for his other hand, "You must know it was never my intention for this to happen. I wanted Ulfric dead but this…" she turns to look at the caravan, now like a small village as the guards and various others have dismounted to feed and rub down their horses. "This isn't what I had in mind."

"You'll make a great Queen, one Skyrim will be proud of for centuries to come."

"Well I'm not sure about that, in the small time I've had to think about it I've decided that I want to live among the people. Royal life just isn't for me."

Vilkas laughs, "Oh, you certainly won't be like anything Skyrim has seen."

"Once I've set the Jarls back in their rightful place I'll ensure that the court knows my place is in Whiterun, with you and that funny old blacksmith."

"How would you run a country from Whiterun?" Vilkas says in a way that suggests it wasn't something he'd wanted to say.

"I'll figure that out once we reach Solitude." She reaches up and touches his cheek gently, "I think this is the cleanest I've ever seen you."

He laughs dryly and cups her hand in his, holding it against his cheek, "We were told by those cut throat nobles that if we wanted to ride alongside you we had to look 'presentable'."

"We?" she turns trying to scan through the crowd of resting people.

"Aela and Farkas have come along…contracts were running slow anyway, and they were worried."

She finally sees a little bit of red amongst the blond and black hair found common in the noble families.

"Right here with you, that's where I want to be, and if I can't govern Skyrim this way…then I'll find someone else to do it."

"You can't lead a guild of people but you're fine with leading a country?"

She smiles and starts walking with him again, "It's strange isn't it? I feel almost comfortable in the thought that in the end I'm a General to the people of Skyrim. With guilds you have to worry about the individuals but as a leader of a country you have to worry about the overall effect you have on the citizens."

"I suppose that's one way to look at it." Vilkas looks upwards at the orange tinged sky, "Whatever you decide, I'll be here." She smiles and leans forward, kissing her lips softly, "I love you."

'

'

'

"Jarl Balgruuf the Great I hereby reinstate you as the Jarl of your hold, and relinquish control from Vignar Gray-Mane."

The Gray-Mane family seems surprised but Eorlund seems proud as he stands there beside the rightful Jarl. Then in what she hopes can show humility Kav bows at the waist, "I hope you'll forgive me for the trouble I have caused you and your family, Balgruuf. It is with this sincerity that I hope you will accept the position as my advisor, as I'll need your clear thinking in the years to come."

Balgruuf sighs in relief, "It is nice to have my hold back…as for your offer, old friend, I had no doubts about you from the day I met you. I will be honored to accept your offer."

Feeling relieved she steps back, "I'll leave you and your family to settle back in then."

"You're highness, you are more than welcome to stay here at Dragons Reach."

"Thank you for your offer, but I have a place here, it's warm and feels like home, and that's all I need."

She then takes Vilkas' hand and walks out with him.

 _ **Epilogue:**_

She's been queen for three years, it feels like forever. She has very few moments when she becomes agitated which surprises her. In reality the things her people come to her for can range from the deranged to the humorous, like the man who complained his chickens kept disappearing and it turned out his wife had been slaughtering them to make dinner, which he ate and never questioned where she got the chicken. A few times she had rebellious groups try to take her down but she managed to quell them with her hand and maybe a guard or two. She was able to run things from Whiterun for some time but it became clear that it's an inconvenience so she moved to the Blue Palace for one week out of each month. For the past month she's spent every day there though, and now that she's finally back in Whiterun she can't be happier. Aela helps her sit on the bed she shares with Vilkas, "One of your servants ran ahead and told us you're already in labor! Let's hope the Gods wait until Vilkas returns to push that little one out."

Kav laughs tightly, her teeth shoved into each other, "Not even the Gods will stop this child from coming out."

"Then already your child is showing signs of being just like you," Aela laughs.

A few moments later and she's pushing, hard. Her whole lower half is contracting and just as the Priestess of Kynareth says she can see a head, the door opens and there's Vilkas. He doesn't waste any time, throwing off his gauntlets he moves to her side and kneels down, "I'm sorry I'm late, Love."

"Nonsense….ugh…perfect timing!" she screams it at him like he's said something offensive but she meant no harshness. He smiles and turns his head looking for just one moment where his child would arrive into the world.

"Vilkas…tell me now, what do you wish for?"

He brings his attention back to her, "I wish for a healthy child, I don't care if it's a boy or girl, because we can teach it to be strong to fight and lead."

She gears up for another contraction, hopefully the one that would thrust their child out into the world.

When the sun rises on Jorrvaskr there's the sound of soft crying coming from within its basement walls. Vilkas cradles the baby in his arms, Kav and he are the only ones left, the others giving them peace. "What should we name her?"

"I…haven't really thought about it. For some reason I was completely convinced it was going to be a boy."

"She'll be a strong one then."

"Of course she will, with us as parents…have you any thoughts on names?"

"Hmm…" his pause is extended so Kav says, "What about Val?"

He smiles as he gazes down at his child, "Val sounds…fitting."

He passes the newborn to her and she settles the child on the bed nestled by fur and pillows.

Leaning over he kisses her forehead gently then her nose and lips, "I love you."

"You best, I'm the mother of your child now."

He chuckles and touches his forehead to hers, "I never stopped."

He was going in for another when someone upstairs screams, "Harbinger! There's a courier for you-ouch Aela why?!"

Vilkas sighs, "That would be duty calling."

The people of Skyrim would certainly never forget the royal family that lived amongst its people and went on adventures. Never would they forget their great queen who liberated them and gave them many decades of peace…

'

'

'

 **The end…I have enjoyed writing this story so much and you guys have been great! I'll definitely be starting up another Skyrim fic soon but I will be taking a small break to write the first few chapters of it before posting anything. Now I'll leave this list here and you guys can tell me if there are any other fandoms IN THE LIST…please, that you want me to write a fic for! See you guys in the next one!**

' **Fable 3 (because I mean Reaver right?)**

' **Oblivion**

' **Fable 1**

' **Left for Dead**

' **Avengers**

' **Sims 3**

 **(I was tempted with adding Archer in there but…I don't think I could get into Archer's head space he's kind of an ass.)**

 **LOVE YOU GUYS!**


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